


The Truth in the Shadows

by dbzkink



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alien Sex, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Best Friends, Bottom Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Bottom Son Goten, Bottom Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Bulla - Freeform, Claiming, Claiming Bites, Daddy Kink, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, First Time Bottoming, First Time Topping, Fluff and Smut, Gay, Gay Sex, Hermaphrodite Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Horny Teenagers, M/M, Masturbation, Mates, Mpreg, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Mutual Masturbation, Polyamory, Sex Talk, Sexual Experimentation, Shameless Smut, Smut, Threesome - F/M/M, Toddler Bulla, Top Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Top Trunks Briefs, Top Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Truten, Vegebul
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:54:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 118,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26162227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbzkink/pseuds/dbzkink
Summary: Trunks brings his best friend, Goten, along on his family vacation to celebrate his parents' anniversary. Goten finds out about a secret Trunks has been keeping, and reveals one that he's been keeping too. The revelations make Trunks question everything he thought he knew about his life and family, his reason for existing. His parents have their own surprise in store for him, making everything more complicated.
Relationships: Broly/Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs/Piccolo/Vegeta, Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Piccolo/Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Trunks Briefs/Son Goten
Comments: 209
Kudos: 97





	1. The Rules of Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> If you've read my other stuff, you'll be SHOCKED to know that there is a ton of explicit gay sex ahead, hetero sex (which probably is a little shocking coming from me, lol), some alien biology, some intersex/hermaphroditic alien stuff, a touch of mpreg, so if you don't like, don't read. There is also technically "underage" because Trunks is 16 and Goten is 15, but it's all consensual with no adults preying on minors. They're just horny teenagers and I'm okay with horny teenagers having sex with each other, especially if they've had good sex education. If you're uncomfortable with that, you're also gonna want to move along. It's also my headcanon that Saiyans sexually mature younger (if they send toddlers off to conquer planets, I assume they're fucking a bit younger than your average human), so Trunks and Goten are fully physically mature, if still kind of dumb teenagers. I am not tagging this as Underage because that to me implies predatory behavior against minors and/or full blown pedophilia, neither of which you will find in this story or any other stories I write.
> 
> This is mainly a story about Trunks and Goten, but there will be Bulma/Vegeta, Vegeta/Piccolo, and Vegeta/Bulma/Piccolo too. I'm not sure of the ratios because I'm a pantser not a planner, so we just have to buckle up together and see where we go.
> 
> Piccolo is a true biological hermaphrodite in this (not the pejorative term that was so long applied to intersex humans) in that he can reproduce as both a male and a female and has a complete system for each, like slugs and many other animals. I have a whole Namek genitalia headcanon which if you've read my other Piccolo stuff, you can skip right over this part because you know all about it! But if not, here's the quick and dirty: Namekians have dicks and testicles that are similar to human/Saiyan dicks/balls, tucked right up behind their balls is their "theadur." It is a slit, about two inches long, that is very tightly closed, looks like a scar, and rather than making or requiring lubrication, is lined with a velvety material that allows all kinds of slipping and sliding. Theadur sex is how Nameks pair-bond, and their mates are referred to as atheanna.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Comments and kudos are always delightful if you enjoy what you read!

Trunks hurried to the bathroom, swallowing hard as Goten chattered happily about how the dirty channels were free on the hotel TV. Trunks pressed his back to the door as he closed it. He panted. What the hell was he going to do? He and Goten had slept in the same bed more times than he could count. He and Goten had been sharing a bed since they were in diapers.

But that was before Trunks had finally admitted his feelings to himself. Before he’d started…doing what he’d been doing for the past six months or so. Puberty hit Saiyans early and he and Goten had both been sexually mature since they were about ten, But only lately, only since Goten had made that joke at Trunks’s sixteenth birthday party, only since those words, obviously uttered in complete joking innocence by his gorgeous best friend, had Trunks begun…fantasizing. 

After the party they hung out playing video games, as they often did, and Goten teased that he couldn’t afford anything that Trunks would want, so maybe he could just suck Trunks off for his sixteenth. Trunks could still picture Goten’s little smirk, so sly and teasing, like he really _would_ give Trunks a blow job if that was what Trunks wanted for his sweet sixteen. Only since that night had Trunks started jacking off while fantasizing about Goten. His best friend. The person he cared about most in the world. Even going so far as looking at pictures of Goten while he touched himself. A lot. Constantly. Unable to stop himself and feeling like a complete dick every time.

It wasn’t that Trunks hadn’t been attracted to Goten before that mocking suggestion. Trunks had. Forever. But…before that he’d managed his salacious interest with the rock solid belief in Goten’s straightness. The joke, and Trunks _knew_ it was a joke, awakened the animal part of Trunks’s desire, and he had been unable to put it back to sleep. It was awake and it was _hungry._

Worst of all was that Trunks had been unable to get turned on by anything else lately, but even just smelling Goten made him half-hard. Okay, full-hard, he was sixteen, after all, and a Saiyan—Saiyan stamina wasn’t just in battle. This was particularly problematic because they spent so much time together, but also because Goten’s scent was on everything in Trunks’s entire life. Trunks’s dick was like an enemy.

Adding to Trunks’s fears was the way his father had been watching him lately. Like Vegeta knew Trunks’s cock was practically raw from constantly masturbating in an effort to not be a complete fucking creep around his best friend. Vegeta’s face was unreadable. That was the problem with a father whose base expression was “resting seethe face:” impossible to tell if he was angry, or contemplative, or pitying, or even happy. The only other setting Vegeta’s face had was “smirk.” And gods help you if the smirk came out. Then you were in for it. Though the smirk had many meanings too. Why couldn’t he have a father that wasn't a complete fucking enigma? Or at least one that used words on a regular basis?

“Trunks, man, what’re you doing? Jerking off? Come on, you should at least do that _while_ we watch. Or you just trying to seem like you last longer by getting the first one out of the way?” Goten called, merrily oblivious to the fact that he was on the money, except that Trunks didn’t dare even try to jack off anywhere near Goten for fear he lost his tenuous grip on the frayed restraint he’d maintained out of sheer love for his best friend.

“Dude, can’t a man freshen up in peace?” Trunks shouted back, trying to make a joke out of what felt like the death knell for the best thing in his life. The thought of life without Goten made Trunks’s stomach hurt. But Trunks had seen homophobia rip apart male friendships.

“What’re you, a blushing maiden? Come on, man, you don’t need to do that, I mean it,” Goten said, clearly close to the bathroom door.

Trunks could smell Goten through the door. Trunks quickly pulled out his phone. He flipped to his favorite picture of Goten. They had been to the beach a few weeks ago and Pan had tripped while chasing Goten. She accidentally grabbed his swim shorts and pulled them down enough that his ass showed. Trunks pretended it was just blackmail material, but he swore that Goten looked at him…lustily…as he took the photo. The picture looked more like Goten was a pinup than like he’d just been pantsed by his niece.

Trunks only needed a minute with the smell and the photo. Trunks’s erections and flaccid cocks had switched roles: he was hard ninety-percent of his life now, and only occasionally soft. No prep needed. He gripped himself, imagined Goten’s rough, strong hand on himself and rolled his lips in, biting them to keep himself from making a peep that his best friend’s Saiyan hearing would understand immediately.

Trunks eyes locked on Goten’s perfect half-smile in the photo; the taut, pale curve of his perfect fucking ass. Gods, Trunks imagined palming that rock hard cheek, spreading Goten wide to taste him. Trunks wondered if Goten would be a loud lover. He imagined his sweet voice crying out Trunks’s name, clutching at him.

“Trunks?”

Trunks shrieked, tried to stuff himself back in his pants and he hurriedly flipped his phone over, praying to Kami that Goten hadn’t seen the photo. His heart tripped and stumbled. Had he just destroyed his lifelong friendship with Goten to try to relieve an irremediable hard-on? Tears came unbidden to his eyes, making the disaster more catastrophic.

“Ten, fuck, get out!” he snarled, more terrified of his own lack of willpower than anything. Equally terrified he would cry he was so embarrassed. Goten was so close to him in the small bathroom.

Goten, like in a fucking nightmare, snatched up Trunks’s phone.

“Ten, no, just—“ but Trunks knew it was too late. Goten’s eyebrows shot up as he turned the screen to himself. Trunks must have missed the lock button. Goten knew his passcode anyway. “Fuck…Look…I…” Trunks stammered.

“Damn, Trunks, you got a nice shot of my ass there. And here I thought you were gonna use it to blackmail me,” Goten said with a smirk.

Trunks hid his face in his hands. He wondered if a sixteen year old in excellent cardiovascular condition could drop dead from a heart-attack. Maybe if he willed his heart enough, it would just stop and let him die to avoid this humiliation.

“Can I watch?” Goten said.

Trunks’s eyes opened behind his hands. Had he heard his best friend correctly? He lowered his hands slowly, blinked, and croaked, “W…what?”

Goten shrugged and said, the slightest blush creeping across his cheeks, “Can I watch? While you finish? I could do it too, if you want to see me.”

Trunks’s mouth fell open. He never, in all his fantasies, imagined Goten responding…like this. “Ten? You…um…you’re not mad?”

Goten’s smirk got more…sexy. He said, “Why would I be mad?”

Trunks’s face burned. “Dude, you just caught me…caught me…fucking touching myself while, um, while…” Trunks couldn’t even spit out the words. He was going to lose his best friend. It made him want to cry. His stomach twisted up again and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“While looking at me? I think it’s hot. I didn’t know you were into dudes. You’re always out with girls,” Goten said, as if it were no big deal, discovering Trunks was gay and pining for his lifelong best friend.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I…I’ve been…well, you know, with my dad. I can’t imagine he’d…handle it…very well,” Trunks said lamely. In truth, Trunks didn’t know what Vegeta would do. Vegeta, at first blush, seemed a model of Earth machismo, but much of the patriarchy and homophobic and misogynist culture baffled his alien father at best, infuriated him more often. Trunks didn’t even know if Vegeta knew two guys _could_ fuck. Another mystery to Trunks was whether his father was a sexual god or a breeding automaton, but he was sure it was one or the other. Vegeta wasn't a middle ground kind of guy.

“You’re worried…about your dad?” Goten said, his grin evening out, becoming a huge, delighted smile.

“Well…yeah…and you. I…I’m being pretty fucking creepy,” Trunks said, still turned on and hard despite his shame and fear. He moved his hands, trying, and failing, to hide his relentless erection.

Goten actually _giggled_. “You really are oblivious, Trunks. Holy crap. You’re like _my_ dad right now.”

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?” Trunks said, feeling wounded. Trunks liked Goku, which he would never admit to his father, but Goku was kind of a dunce. And painfully naïve about sex. From what he knew, _bad_ at sex.

Goten gaped and laughed more. “You really don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Okay, first of all, Trunks, have you ever seen me out with a girl?”

“No…but you’re shy around girls…and you’re younger than me…and your mom is crazy about that stuff.”

“Yeah. And I’m fucking _gay_ , dude. How have you not known that? You’re my best friend.”

“You never told me,” Trunks said, a little hurt, but the hurt was quickly covered by a flurry of hope.

“I thought you knew. I’ve made a couple soft passes at you, but I’m not a creep. I wasn’t going to make it weird,” Goten said, slapping Trunks’s shoulder gently.

“You mean, like, by masturbating in a hotel bathroom while looking at a picture of me?” Trunks said with a wan smile.

“That is a little weird, for sure. Why were you doing that, anyway?” Goten looked so genuinely perplexed that Trunks thought maybe he wasn’t the only oblivious one.

“I was trying to keep from pitching a tent all fucking night lying next to you,” Trunks said, unable to meet Goten’s eyes.

“We can sneak out and find you a guy if you’re that horny, Trunks. Not that I think your parents would care if we went out openly.”

Trunks’s nightmare continued as he burst into tears.

“Whoa! Hey, Trunks, man, what’s wrong?”

“Fuck. I just. I don’t…I don’t want to ruin our friendship…”

“It’s okay that you’re not attracted to me, Trunks, just because I’m gay and you’re bi or whatever, you can’t control who you’re attracted to—“

“Wait, what? What you got out of me wanking off to your picture is that I’m _not_ attracted to you?” Trunks said, with a snotty snort of laughter.

“I get it, it’s okay, you gotta work with what you have. You’ve blown me off enough that I’ve just…let it go. I hoped, when I first realized that I was gay, but it’s okay. I know you can’t force it, and you’re my best friend, that’s enough. But back to your dad—“

“No. Ten. Dude, you are really misunderstanding me. I…I’m not jerking off to pictures of you because I don’t have porn. You know I can find any kink I want on my phone? You understand how the internet works, right? Ten, I’m jerking off to pictures of you because I want _you_. Badly. And I didn’t want to ruin our friendship by making a pass at you,” Trunks said, hoping he hadn’t just horribly misread the conversation. Hoping he hadn’t just destroyed the best relationship in his life.

Goten’s eyes widened. “What?! I offered to suck you off for your birthday and I thought you were gonna crawl out of your skin! Did you think I was _joking_?”

Trunks trembled. Nodded. Did this mean that Goten was willing to try? Trunks stared into his best friend’s eyes and stepped forward, twined his fingers in that messy mop of black hair, and pulled Goten’s mouth down to his, putting the last of his willpower into not moaning like they were already fucking.

Goten tasted divine. His tongue slipped hungrily into Trunks’s mouth and Trunks thought he could die happy. Goten’s bigger, rougher hands slipped around Trunk’s waist, right up under his shirt and onto his bare skin. Trunks rolled his hips against Goten’s and made his best friend moan into his mouth. Goten was hard too and Trunks wanted to squeal with delight.

He lifted Goten up onto his hips, earning a startled laugh, and carried him back out of the bathroom to the bed. A million thoughts and considerations ran through Trunks’s mind. He didn’t have any condoms. Or any lube. Or…fuck…he really didn’t have a clue what he was doing. But he had to do it right or Goten would never want to do anything with him again.

Goten nipped his earlobe and whispered, “Trunks, relax, okay? Have you seriously never done this?”

“Have you?” Trunks asked.

Goten shrugged.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“You’re weird about gay stuff, Trunks. You’ve been hiding this really well. I had no idea I’d ever even crossed your mind.”

“Like I said, my dad makes me nervous, so I…I’ve been struggling,” Trunks said, embarrassed that he was letting his father keep him from being himself.

Now Goten put a full stop on their making out. No longer even touching Trunks. Obviously the mention of Vegeta—his terrifying reputation—was making his best friend rethink being with Trunks as any more than a friend. Trunks said, his voice choked, “I’ll keep it a secret, Ten, you don’t have to be scared of him. I won’t tell. You…I…I can just be…your secret. You don’t need to worry about my dad finding out. I’d be your secret forever.” Fuck. That sounded pathetic. But it was true. Trunks would do anything to be with Goten.

The silence dragged on for so long that Trunks finally forced his eyes up off his hands to his best friend’s face. Goten had an almost…pitying…smile on his face. “Ten, seriously, I want this so badly. Please don’t let my scary dad ruin—“

“You really don’t know? How do you not know? Bulla probably knows and she’s two.”

“Knows what?”

“Trunks! Holy shit, you actually don’t. And everyone accuses the Son’s of being oblivious. Your dad loves your mom, nobody doubts that, and I’m sure they have a lot of hot sex—“

“Ew, gross, dude, that’s my _parents_ —“

“Nope, you gotta hear this so you can stop being an idiot.”

“What? Hear what? About my parents fucking? Ew! I’m not being an idiot, I’m trying to keep you and possibly myself, from getting murdered.”

“Vegeta isn’t going to murder you. Or me.”

“He might…if he finds out what I am,” Trunks shrank, the thought of trying to keep his love for Goten hidden away his whole life made his chest physically ache, like he’d taken a Gallic Gun right to the sternum.

Goten tipped his chin up, looked into his eyes, and said, “Trunks. Your dad is bi.”

Trunks started to argue, because he expected Goten to tell him that Vegeta loved him and would be supportive. But he shut his mouth and digested what Goten had just said. He blinked and said, “Wait. What did you just say?”


	2. Accidental Discoveries

Goten giggled again. He said, “You really don’t know? You know how your dad has his own bedroom? And Piccolo is always over at your place, uh, training? Early in the morning, Piccolo’s there. Late in the evening, Piccolo’s there…”

“What?!” Trunks said, perilously close to screeching.

“Oh yeah, Gohan caught them once, too. And apparently your mom knows all about it, participates occasionally.”

Trunks’s jaw dropped. Like a cartoon. He didn’t know a jaw could actually drop. “My dad…and _Piccolo_? I didn’t even know Piccolo, you know, did that. And my mom is just _fine_ with her husband fucking an alien?”

“Your _dad_ is an alien, Trunks. And your mom fucks Piccolo too, I guess.”

“Ack! Gross! But…I mean…Piccolo…Holy shit. You’re kidding, right?”

“You can ask your dad. He’s super open about it. Apparently Gohan pissed them off by interrupting, but not by catching them. They all sat around and had a beer. He said it was surreal, that Vegeta and Piccolo _flirt_ , which I didn’t really witness. The only reason they’re just not in full blown polyamory is because your dad thinks it might hurt your mom’s business.”

“And Gohan told you this?”

“Well…some of it…after…um…”

“Wait, what? After what? You’re blowing my mind, dude, what else can there possibly be besides my parents being in a perma-three-way with a big, scary, green alien.”

“Well…I caught your dad and Piccolo going at it too. It was good, in the end. Your dad convinced me to come out. Said I was being an idiot for pretending I like girls when I don’t.”

“Kami! Are they just constantly fucking? How did you stumble on them?” Trunks held his head in his hands.

“I needed a birthday idea for Gohan, and I sensed Piccolo in the GR with your dad, their powers were way up but not like murderous god-level up. The gravity wasn’t on, so I went in figuring they were training. They were not. It was hilarious after I got over being stunned as fuck. Piccolo got so mad at your dad for not wanting to fuck with the gravity on to keep the doors sealed. They didn’t even get dressed, they just had a spat in front of me with their dicks hanging out, remembered I was there, and asked what I wanted, not even giving a shit that I caught them, only that I ruined their sex. I was so startled I was speechless. Vegeta asked what the fuck my problem was and why was I acting all surprised when he saw the way I looked at you so he knew I liked dick.”

“Fuck, he did not! Did my dad actually say that phrase?”

“Yeah, he did. I about died, it was so funny. ‘Boy, I’ve seen you watch my son like you’d like to suck his prick, so get your eyes off mine and tell me why you’re here before I murder you! In case you’re as stupid as your clown father and can’t tell, we were in the middle of something!’” Goten did a pretty good Vegeta impression and it made Trunks laugh.

“Shit, Ten, so he…he, um, he thinks you have a crush on me?” Trunks knew how needy and desperate his question was, but he wanted reaffirmation that he wasn’t dreaming, that Goten wanted him too. He ached to hear Goten say that he liked Trunks that way, that he _wanted_ Trunks.

“I _do_ have a crush on you, Trunks, you doofus. And your dad is a hard guy to lie to, especially given that I’m terrible at lying to less scary people. He ripped me a new one for being a coward, all with his half-hard dick out, so that was weird. Piccolo couldn’t keep his hands off your dad, but told him to calm the fuck down and just let me go so they could get back to it. Finally Piccolo told me to get out because they only had a few minutes before he had to go, and that Vegeta and I could have a heart to heart some other time when Piccolo wasn’t due to babysit Pan.”

“So…you just left and said enjoy your bang? How did _that_ help you come out? And if you're out, how come I didn't know?”

“Well, before I could escape, Vegeta got mad at him and said it was Piccolo’s stupid planet that had these weird cultural issues with sexuality that caused a heart to heart to even be necessary. Piccolo said he wasn’t an Earthling, so it wasn’t his fault. Then they kind of started, I dunno what to even call it—angry making out?—with enough aggression that I got the hell out of there. But your dad found me later out on the farm. Told me to report to Capsule Corp pronto for a Saiyan to Saiyan chat. He talked to me about Saiyan pride, of course, but also was oddly…progressive in his views about sexuality. He also scared the living shit out of me about boundaries and STDs and stuff. Also other weird Saiyan biology stuff.”

“What do you mean?” Trunks said, trying to tamp down his horror at the thought of his dad threatening his best friend and love interest. Talking to his best friend and love interest about sex. About sex with men. About sex with _Trunks_.

Goten shrugged again and continued, “He said that you were still figuring out your sexuality and that I couldn’t foist myself on you. That I could express my feelings, but no strong-arming, that kind of thing. That love and lust were never forceful. That respect and communication made for a good sex life and relationship. It was so fucking shocking. It was like the dad-est I’ve ever seen Vegeta,” Goten said, a little shyly. Trunks knew that Goten thought of Vegeta as a father figure since Goku was gone so much and aloof when he was around. But Goten also felt guilty for feeling that way about Vegeta, now that Goku was back. Physically at least.

Trunks tried not to freak out. Even if his dad was gay, he did talk a lot about Trunks being Vegeta’s heir and that sort of thing. How would he handle the fact that Trunks would never beget his own heir if he was with Goten? And Trunks only ever wanted to be with Goten. Trunks squeaked, “Holy shit. So he doesn’t think I’m gay?”

“Oh, no, he does. But he said that you didn’t know yet. That you certainly didn’t know you were attracted to me, so I better keep it in my pants and see how you felt as you figured it out.”

“So my dad…Vegeta…knows I’m gay?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And…is also gay.”

“No, well, not exactly. Your dad…he said Saiyans just don’t even distinguish. They just have sex with whoever they want. He said some pair-bond really powerfully, that sometimes they even claim each other—whatever the hell that means, he kind of takes a lot of knowledge for granted—but that others are more polyamorous. He said he respects your mother a lot, loves her in the Earthling sense, but that he and Piccolo are mates. I didn’t get all the stuff he said about Piccolo, but I guess they can’t have children, so they just…have whatever they have.”

“This is a lot to take in, Ten,” Trunks said, his mind whiplashing between relief and horror. Lust for his best friend and complete revulsion at the thought of his parents having sex, the thought of his dad knowing that Trunks was going to have sex.

Goten chuckled and nudged Trunks as he said, “No shit, you’re not the one who fucking _saw_ it. That was surreal. It made me realize though that it would definitely be amazing to be with someone…powerful…like me. But when we talked, he treated me like such a man, that I got a little choked up. We did a couple shots together. It was like…like he respected me. Since my dad’s my dad, I’ve never…never felt like Vegeta could stand me.”

“My dad fucking loves you, Ten, even I know that. Not gross loves you. You know, parent-style loves you. When was this? When did you fucking do shots with my dad? Why hasn’t my dad done shots with me?” Trunks felt a flare of jealousy. Would Vegeta do shots with Trunks if he told Vegeta he’d figured out he liked dick? Or caught his dad fucking Piccolo?

Goten thought for a moment, then said, “Um, I guess about a year ago?”

“You were fourteen!”

“Well, he said Saiyans are different and that I’m a man now, and that I better act like a man or he’d fix it for me,” Goten said. He gulped audibly and shuddered. Trunks suspected that Vegeta had been rather graphic in how exactly he’d fix it for Goten.

“Good gods. Have he and Piccolo…like…been together…this whole time?”

“I guess before you were even born,” Goten said, and he looked a little sad. “They seem…happy…in their own weird, alien way. Your mom seems chill about it too. She brought the vodka and the shot glasses, left us to it. He grumbled something about how he wished she’d put the lock on the GR like he’d requested and she said she wished he and Piccolo would fuck in a bedroom like a normal couple.”

“Holy shit, my mom said that right in front of you? So…but…I didn’t know, so they must be sneaking around. And I can’t be the only one who doesn’t know. If you didn’t know until last year and they’ve been together that long,” Trunks said, feeling a little betrayed. Piccolo hardly ever spoke to him but was his dad’s _mate_? What did that even mean? Was Trunks the only reason his parents even pretended to be together? But they had Bulla…

Goten shook his head emphatically and said, “Not intentionally sneaky. I mean, they both always think danger is everywhere, so sneaking is like their lifestyle. But mostly I think they’re both just reserved and crabby, so no one ever notices that they’re always off on the sidelines glaring at each other. They’re telepathic together too, which Vegeta said drives your mom fucking crazy, but he said it means hardly anyone sees them speaking.”

“Fuck me…” Trunks said, trying to digest this whole other side of his father that he didn’t know existed.

“Well…if you want…though I kind of thought you’d fuck me,” Goten said with an impish grin.

Trunks finally laughed out loud and kissed Goten a little more before he said, “Wait, so how do you know about Gohan catching them if he didn’t tell you? Did my dad tell you that you were the second Son to catch him fucking Piccolo?”

Goten laughed and said, “Uh, I caught Piccolo fucking your dad. But apparently they switch.”

“Godsdamnit, Ten! He’s still my dad. Holy shit, my brain cannot unsee that.”

Goten seemed about to say something, but clapped his mouth closed for a minute before he said, “Vegeta said if I wasn’t ready to tell my parents, I could tell Gohan. I said that would be even worse because he was so prim. And Vegeta laughed and said, not so much. Gohan…did not handle it well when he caught them…”

“Then why would my dad want you to come out to him if he’s all homophobic?”

“That’s not why he was mad. I guess Gohan had a crush on Piccolo but thought Piccolo was asexual. He got jealous. Also kind of stupidly thought Vegeta was…um…raping…Piccolo. He started to rumble with Vegeta and called him…that. A rapist. Piccolo did not think that was cool, so he wrecked Gohan, andgot all crazy about Gohan slandering his mate or some shit. Vegeta finally broke things up and they all sat around drinking. Gohan admitted he didn’t really want to be Piccolo’s boyfriend or whatever, more he just wanted Piccolo to himself.”

“Wow. Just. Fucking wow,” Trunks said, his eyebrows practically stuck in his hairline they were so permanently raised in shock. At the same time, he found Goten telling him this crazy shit easier than having to see his dad getting fucked.

“So I came out to Gohan, I haven’t told my parents yet. When I came out he gave me the full story. Vegeta only hinted at what had happened. I don’t think he’s really let go of the fact that Gohan called him a rapist.”

“Yeah, my dad has done some evil shit, but he’s always been really clear with me that it’s fine to murder for basically any reason, but that if I ever used even a little coercion for sex, he’d castrate me,” Trunks said and his heart raced as Goten gave him a sweet little smile and pushed him back on the bed.

“Yeah, I’ve gotten that speech too. Do you…do you really want me, Trunks?”

Trunks, speechless, nodded like some kind of idiot.

Goten chuckled softly and whispered, “Are you gonna let me consensually suck your dick, beautiful?”

Trunks’s heart flew into his throat. Trunks had had sex. He’d been with quite a few girls while trying to deal with his confusing feelings. Being the son of one of the richest women on the planet, combined with Vegeta’s build but thankfully not his height, made getting laid pretty easy for Trunks. Laid by everyone but the only one he wanted.

“Hmmm? It’s fine if you want to take it slow, Trunks,” Goten said, and kissed Trunks sweetly, moving back up from his neck and ear, which he had been sucking so perfectly that Trunks couldn’t form a coherent response.

Trunks flipped Goten onto his back and savaged his mouth, tore his shirt off, and ran his hands over Goten’s burly, muscular chest. Goten was built like Goku, bulky and strong, broader and thicker than the Vegeta gene-pool’s lean, wiry build. Goten was jacked, Trunks was cut. He loved the contrast of their bodies together. He wanted Goten to touch him too. He pulled his shirt over his head, getting it awkwardly caught in his rush.

Goten curled up and kissed along Trunks’s jaw. He murmured, “I think I flustered you, beautiful. I didn’t see that coming. Not that I ever saw you wanting me at all…but…I always figured you’d be all smooth-talking and aloof like you are with girls.”

“Maybe if I didn’t want you so fucking badly…” Trunks whispered and clutched Goten’s face as he kissed him desperately.

Goten’s smile went from a little smug thing to a huge, beaming grin. He tugged Trunks down, one hand splaying on Trunks’s ass. “Trunks…gods, I have wanted to touch you for so long…”

“Ten…please…please…” Trunks said, his voice shaking. He didn’t even know what he wanted, he just _wanted._

Goten slid his palm down Trunks’s abdomen and deftly unbuttoned Trunks’s jeans. Trunks’s parents were in the suite next door…oh gods. It was a suite. Piccolo was along ostensibly to babysit Bulla so his parents could go out…oh fuck. Trunks needed to not think about that.

Which turned out to be easy as the sound of his zipper dragging down resounded in his ears. Gods, Trunks’s throat began to close as he realized that Goten was going to see his dick hard…and that Trunks might immediately blow his load. He let out a strangled, “Ten…I…”

“Hey, Trunks, please relax…you’re still my best friend…I just…I just love you, you know? I want…I want to give you everything,” Goten said, staring into Trunks’s eyes.

“I…I love you too, Ten. So fucking much,” Trunks gasped and clutched Goten to him, kissed him more deeply.

Goten’s calloused hand wrapped around Trunks’s cock and he thrust into it, wanting to be less wanton and needy, but also unable to control his hips. To distract himself, he went to work on Goten’s jeans, which, in true Goten form had a fucking safety pin where the button had worn out of the denim. Trunks’s hands were trembling so badly he knew a safety pin was not happening one handed.

Goten saved Trunks from himself and undid the pin and shucked his jeans all in one smooth motion. It didn’t help Trunks feel any less like a bumbling idiot. How did people in love ever manage to not be complete idiots around the object of their affections?

“Trunks, why are you falling apart on me?” Goten whispered and kissed along Trunks’s jawline more, “Gods, I have wanted to kiss your perfect jaw like a million times.”

Goten still had Trunks’s cock in his hand and he began to move it. “Ten, I’m sorry, I’m just…I…oh fuck…”

“Trunks, am I gonna make you come?”

“Ten, I’m so sorry—“ Trunks wanted to cry with both pleasure and deep shame as he came all over Goten’s belly like he was eleven years old jerking off for the first time.

Goten ravaged his mouth and moaned, “Touch me, please, beautiful. It’s so hot making you come at last. I’ve dreamed about making you come for so long…please touch me…”

Trunks’s hand still shook, but he knew how to stroke a prick, or at least he’d had plenty of practice with his own, lately especially. He’d been jerking off multiple times per day, more when he hung out with Goten, so he had a few tricks from his overactive fantasy life.

He palmed the pre-cum slick tip of Goten’s beautiful cock. Trunks had seen Goten’s dick before, even seen it hard, but it was different to get to really look at it, to admire it. He used his palm to smooth Goten’s pre-cum over the whole of his sensitive tip, Goten bucking up against the touch. That gave Trunks more confidence. He moved his hand in twisting, pumping motion, and Goten moaned, increasing Trunks’s courage.

He sucked one of Goten’s nipples as he moved his hand more aggressively, drawing more pre-cum out of Goten so he was slicker, easier to stroke, but finally spitting in his hand to really be able to move. Goten gasped, “Fuck, beautiful, fuck that feels good…”

“You gonna come for me now, Ten? You gonna let me watch you come?”

“Gods, Trunks, oh fuck!” Goten growled and spurted up the inside of Trunks’s arm.

Trunks went back to kissing Goten’s mouth through his aftershocks before he whispered, “Gods, I wish I hadn’t been an idiot on my birthday.”

“Offer still stands, beautiful…” Goten said, with a little eyebrow wiggle.

“Why do you call me that?” Trunks said, not really liking to be teased while they were making out.

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you have to call me that? I know we’re best friends, but…can’t we…not do that while we’re…you know…”

“Call you ‘beautiful?’” Goten looked thoroughly confused.

“Don’t tease me, Ten…I really…I meant it. What I said.”

“Why do you think that’s me teasing you? I call you ‘beautiful’ because you’re so gorgeous, Trunks. I jack off to pictures of you all the time. I’m not _teasing_ you, that would be such a dick move.”

Trunks flushed, he could feel his face morphing through all the shades of red. He looked down at Goten, feeling shy and stupid, but he whispered, “You think I’m beautiful?”

“Yeah, the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. I could look at you all day. I get so hard just seeing your face. The past couple years have been really rough. I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“I’m sorry I came so fast, Ten,” Trunks said, his shame surging back.

“Don’t be stupid, Trunks. You’re already hard again and it’s not like coming quickly is an insult. I like that I turn you on that much. You’ve never been with a guy?”

“No, a lot of girls. I mean, I’ve only had sex with a couple, but…lots of hand-jobs and BJs and stuff,” Trunks said, and considered whether it was stupid to say what he said next, “But it never felt like that. I’ve never _wanted_ anyone like you, Ten.”

Goten lunged up and kissed him more and he kicked Trunks’s pants off completely now. “You’re so hard, Trunks, I know it’s rushed, but I want you inside me so bad…”

“Fuck, Ten, fuck, I want you too…”

A thundering knock on their door startled them both. They went silent, hoping it was a mistake or housekeeping. They waited. They heard the heavy sigh and then a growling voice said, “Damnit, you two, I can feel your fucking chi, put your pants on and open the door.”

“Fuck!” Trunks hissed. No matter what outlandish stories Goten had told him, almost all his interactions with his father were terrifying.

“Chill out, Trunks, chill. He must’ve felt our chi…doing stuff,” Goten whispered, then called, “Just a minute, Vegeta.”

“Hurry the fuck up,” Vegeta said loudly enough that Trunk winced, hoping their neighbors couldn’t hear his surly father.


	3. Explanations

The only reason they were even in the hotel was because they were leaving on a cruise the next morning. It hadn’t even been a question whether Goten would come along. Neither Bulma nor Vegeta wanted to deal with Trunks moping the entire two weeks, but now he feared they would send Goten home. They wouldn’t want their fifteen-year-old honorary son getting fucked by their biological sixteen-year-old.

“Boy, I’ll beat your ass if this door isn’t open in five seconds,” Vegeta growled through the door.

Trunks flew to the door, zipping his jeans en route, Goten hastily cleaning cum off both of them with his t-shirt. Trunks swung the door open, willing his hard-on to die. He stood awkwardly in the threshold, like his father was a vampire that couldn’t come in without an invitation. Trunks had grown taller than his father at about thirteen, but he still felt like Vegeta could look down on him somehow.

“Trunks, get the fuck out of my way. You two, both of you, go fucking sit down,” Vegeta said gruffly.

Trunks noted that Vegeta was only in his jeans, low-slung and boxer-less, no shoes. His father came to their room in a hurry. Perhaps he thought they were fucking? Trunks supposed they were about to fuck, so the consequences might be the same.

He and Goten sat stiffly side by side on the edge of the bed. Vegeta ran a hand over his face. He dragged a chair over toward the bed. Goten squeaked out, “He came out, Vegeta, there was no foisting, I swear!”

“Goten, good gods, I practically raised you, I know you wouldn’t force yourself on your best friend,” Vegeta said with a weary sigh.

“Oh, uh, okay. So…”

“Goten, Bulma thinks that perhaps I should have been more explicit with you, especially as…fuck all…as my own situation has just become more complicated.”

“What? Explicit. Um. Vegeta, I caught you fu—er, having sex. Sir.”

“Don’t ‘sir’ me, you fucking pup. Not that. I assume both of you are quite capable of figuring out the logistics of fucking. And Goten, from speaking with you, I know you at least know how to fuck a man, or get fucked by one. That isn’t why I’m here, you two can figure out your own…way. That being said, you may experience different things if you two are mates—”

“Whoa, we’re teenagers, Dad!” Trunks protested, not wanting to scare Goten off with a bunch of bullshit about commitment when he’d barely gotten a hand-job.

“Trunks, cut me off again and you’ll see that I can ascend to Super Saiyan Blue fast enough to backhand you,” Vegeta hissed, and the way his eyes flashed, Trunks knew Vegeta meant it.

Vegeta continued, though he sounded more frustrated than angry, “You both have these Earthling notions of everything, of love, of commitment, of _biology_ , for fuck’s sake,” Vegeta said and tossed a huge pack of condoms on the bed. Trunks wished for death. His cheeks were burning. Vegeta growled, “But you’re not Earthlings. Even though your mothers are human, _you_ are not. Mates amongst Saiyans are not common, but the bond is much more common in whelps that grow up together, as you two did. I’m not talking about your stupid Earth marriage bullshit. A mate is a compulsion. A physical need like eating or drinking.”

Trunks thought about the fact that Goten had told him _Piccolo_ , fucking _Piccolo_ , was his father’s mate. Not his mother. Rage boiled in his veins that his father would do that to his mother. And even though Vegeta had never actually hit Trunks outside training, that was only because Trunks wasn’t stupid enough to defy him when he’d been warned about a blow. A Super-Saiyan-Blue backhand was not a trifling thing and would likely knock Trunks out even if he managed to block. So he held his tongue. His anger.

“You don’t _choose_ a mate, boy, because I see you seething like I’ve done some grave wrong to your mother. She doesn’t need your pity or your indignation or your outrage. Trust me. You can speak to her about this tomorrow, but not tonight. A mate is biological imperative. Irresistible. I have no idea if you two are mates or just horny teenagers, but trust me again, that _you_ will know if you are.”

Goten started to speak and Vegeta’s glare shut him up immediately. “Your father isn’t here to save you, Goten, so keep your mouth shut. My point is, if you _are_ mates, you will experience urges unlike anything you’ve ever felt. You will want to claim one another, for starters, and you’ll know what that is too,” Vegeta said, but when both boys looked at him and each other questioningly, Vegeta rolled his eyes and stood. He turned around and tugged his jeans down in the back just enough that they could see a scar on the top curve of his left ass cheek. A livid, mouth-shaped scar, the fangs visible.

“Clear?” Vegeta snapped.

Trunks tentatively raised his hand.

Vegeta seemed to have a moment of prayer, perhaps to his own ancient, Saiyan gods, to be able to not murder his only son. He breathed deeply a few times and said, “What, Trunks?”

“Piccolo did that? When?”

“Shortly after we were resurrected on Earth after Namek. Maybe five or six days. Well. Fine. Two. We are not…patient…men. But that’s irrelevant. You don't choose that either. You can resist, but I only heard legends as a child of people that resisted forever. But you should know, it’s not trivial—“

Trunks, against all judgement and reason muttered, “I can’t believe you couldn’t resist _Picc—_ “

Before he even finished, Vegeta had him pinned to the ceiling by his throat, not quite crushing his airway, but clearly considering it. Vegeta’s eyes were fire like Trunks had never seen. The pupils were blown wide and deep, swirling red, not their usual black. He growled, “Think hard, Trunks, think very fucking hard before you speak another word.”

Trunks had always been afraid of his father in the way he knew many kids were scared of their strict or cold or short-tempered parents. He’d never been scared in the way abused kids were. And this wasn’t that either. This fear, spreading out in Trunks’s veins like poison, was existential terror, not just of his father, but of the magic or science or whatever it was that created this bond between his father and someone other than Trunks’s mother.

Trunks nodded minutely and Vegeta set him down. He raised his hand again. “What?” Vegeta snarled.

“How do I exist if your bond with Piccolo is so…intense?”

“You can still have rifts and fights and…jealousy…and problems with a mate. So don’t think you’re avoiding that. But you can’t escape them. You won’t want to, exactly, but it can be…challenging…to feel this,” Vegeta said and shook his head, like he didn’t understand himself. He continued, “I’m not here to talk about my mate. I’m here to warn you. If you claim each other, which I suspect you will, other changes may happen to your bodies. This is no Earthling puberty or nonsense like that. I won’t get into the details unless you really want the nitty gritty, but in short, one or both of you will be able to get pregnant. So bag it. Until you’re out from under my roof. Understand?”

Trunks’s jaw fell open for the second time that evening. “Pregnant?”

“Yes. I assume you at least know what that means, boy?”

“Yeah, but we’re, um, both boys?” Trunks said, risking a backhand for pointing out the obvious.

“Yes. You are. But you’re _Saiyan_ boys. It might be different because you’re hybrids, but I’d rather not find out when you’re sixteen and under my care for a few years yet. And I don’t know whether Goten has been careful or not while he’s been trying to pretend he wasn’t in love with you, but if not, all the more reason to wrap it up.”

“I have! Gods, Vegeta, I’ve never done it raw.”

“Excellent. I’m glad to hear it,” Vegeta said, briefly sounding unperturbed.

“Dad, you, um, you seem really stressed out. Do you…not want us to be mated?” Trunks ventured.

“Obviously I’m not fond of the idea of being connected even more eternally to Kakarot, but at least I had a hand in raising Goten so he’s a hell of a fighter and has none of Gohan’s ninny moral nonsense. And he’s got more of the harpy’s sense than the clown’s, so there’s that. But it doesn’t matter what I think or want. It’s what you want, Trunks. And what’s in your blood.”

“So…you’re…okay with me…being like this?”

“Like what?” Vegeta said, cocking his head.

“Gay,” Trunks said, quietly.

Vegeta turned to Goten, raised an eyebrow and said, “Is he serious?”

“Yeah, I think so, he’s been super worried you’d be mad he likes guys,” Goten said with a shrug.

“What an absurdly human thing to think, and stupid human, not delightful human, like your mother. Of course I’m okay with it. You fuck who you want, how you want, when you want, just do it safely. You’re too young to be a father. It’s easier if you do it on purpose, and it seems to be something that I’m exceptionally bad at.”

“Being a father?”

“No, being a father on _purpose_.”

“Dad, it kind of sucks that you talk about me like I’m such a disaster—“

“Not you, you whiny, snot-nosed child, yes, you were not…intentional…but you also were not…an accident. Again, if you really want to know the details, I can fill them in for you, but know that you were…wanted.”

The statement surprised Trunk almost more than finding out his father was mated to Piccolo. He said, “But, you guys totally meant to have Bulla. You love Bulla.”

“I love you, too, boy, and I resent the fact that you keep assuming otherwise. But no, not Bulla.”

Trunks stared at his father. His father had never said that to him in that way. He had intimated that he cared for Trunks on many occasions, but never once just flat out said to Trunks’s face that he loved him. Trunks flopped forward into a helpless hug.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Vegeta grumbled and awkwardly hugged Trunks back.

“Wait, if not Bulla, then what are you talking about?” Trunks said.

Vegeta flared a nostril and sighed. He ran his hand over his face again. “We…Piccolo and I…tried for years. When it was clear we couldn’t, we went to your mother. We…had you. But she couldn’t let you go. So, we became what we are today. She wanted another and Piccolo agreed, so I gave her Bulla and we all love her as our own. But despite being mates, Piccolo and I were never able to conceive, which, if you are mates, you will find is…upsetting.”

“You’re both guys, how could you have—“

“I swear to all the gods, Trunks, I’ll melt your mouth shut with chi. I do not want to be having this conversation with you, but I am because your fucking mother insisted that I do it so you two made intelligent decisions. These two events coinciding is maddening. Piccolo and I made peace with our barrenness and our biology is none of your fucking business. We made peace with it. We’ve been together a long fucking time. We love your mother too, and we raised you and Goten and Bulla as our own, though you never realized what Piccolo was because you’re self-centered and spoiled.”

A million small interactions Trunks had had with Piccolo over the years started flashing through Trunks’s mind. How had it never occurred to him to ask why Piccolo was around all the time? He always assumed Piccolo was just a mooch, or lonely, or constantly training like Vegeta. Never this. Never that his father even could love _anyone_ , let alone someone like Piccolo. Trunks started to speak and Vegeta casually raised his hand in warning.

“After almost twenty years of failure—a solid fifteen of those trying pretty desperately, three or four grieving for what we would never have, and then finally, recently, truly being at peace—Piccolo is fucking pregnant.”

Trunks sat for a moment letting that statement soak in. He blinked a few times and looked at Goten. Goten looked surprised too, but…happy surprised, not sad. Not jealous. Not confused. Trunks raised his hand to be allowed to speak.

“Last one, boy, my mate wants to kill me and my wife wants to do a vivisection to figure out what the fuck changed, so make it quick.”

“Um…so…you know what, let’s just call it a night. This is already a lot. Can we talk more tomorrow on the boat?”

“As you wish. He and I will have to leave early otherwise he might go into labor on your mother’s anniversary fucking cruise. Of all fucking times. Get some sleep. Or get laid. With condoms. I don’t fucking care, but be nice to your mother and Piccolo tomorrow, they are both…on edge…That backhand is still an option if you are disrespectful to either of them.” Vegeta strutted back to the door.

“Dad?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, what?” Vegeta said, his head falling back.

“But…you…you love mom?” Trunks asked.

“Of course I love your mother. Are you sure you didn’t hit his head or something, Goten? He’s acting stupid. Or is it just his excitement over finally admitting he wants your cock?”

Trunks wanted to die. Why had he waylaid his father? Of course Vegeta would say something humiliating like this. Trunks turned his burning face toward Goten, who was laughing so hard it was silent. He choked out, “Think it’s just my cock, sir!”

“Call me ‘sir’ again and I’ll backhand you too, Goten. You’re a man now. Call me Vegeta or ‘my Lord,’ but not that obnoxious Earth term. Trunks, do a good job. Goodnight,” he hissed, and stepped out of their room.


	4. Getting Some

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The daddy kink in this chapter was inspired by the incomparable munchkinkittyhams. Their cell phone comic “Hey Daddy” (you have to scroll down because I couldn’t link straight to the exact comic) is amazing and is still one of my favorite pieces of fanart ever: [comics](https://munchkinkittyhams.com/comicshorts/)

Before Trunks had time to process anything his father had just said, Goten tackled him, tossing him back on the bed. Goten was right: there were definite perks to being with someone Saiyan strength and density. Trunks had to be careful with all the girls he’d been with, not just fucking, but with everything. He was heavy enough that stepping on a human foot could break their bones, thrusting too hard could break their pelvis, and when Trunks was turned on, his teeth got sharper—another Saiyan thing he didn’t understand—so he had to be careful not to cut his partners.

But none of that would apply with Goten. He could launch onto Goten full speed and Goten would love it. He could fuck Goten right through the wall and on out of the hotel, and he wouldn’t hurt him. He could cut Goten to shreds, bite him as savagely as he wanted, and Goten would be healed before breakfast the next day. Gods, Trunks panted at just the thought of how wild they could be together.

He froze, realizing the import of the last thing his dad, his fucking father, had said to him. “Ew…Did my dad just tell me to do a good job…like…fucking you?”

Goten pulled up from aggressively sucking Trunks’s nipple, his eyes a little dazed. He grinned and kissed Trunks’s mouth. He said, “Yeah, beautiful, I think he did. And you don’t want to disappoint your dad.”

“Gross, Ten!” Trunks cried, pulling a face.

“So you don’t want to call me ‘Daddy?’”

Trunks laughed and gave Goten a vicious kiss. “If anyone is calling anyone ‘Daddy,’ it better be you calling me ‘Daddy.’”

Goten’s hand wrapped around Trunks’s cock again and he purred, “You gonna fuck me, Daddy?”

Trunks didn’t want that to turn him on. But it did. Only a little. “Yeah, baby, I am gonna fuck you. We have this whole box of condoms and we get to live together the next two weeks. I don’t wanna waste ‘em.”

They tore at the box, whipping a chain of condoms free. Trunks also didn’t know how to feel about the fact that his father knew he needed the Magnums. Trunks kept his own condom stash pretty well hidden. He thought. But Vegeta was a cagey motherfucker. Or, oh gods, had Vegeta given them Magnums because that was what _Vegeta_ needed? Trunks was going to to scream if he kept going down that road. He refocused on Goten.

Trunks rolled Goten onto his back and stroked his best friend’s dick as he kissed him. Goten murmured, “Hold on, let me get something out of my bag—“

“What?” Trunks said, nervous about using any sex toys when he was already in completely uncharted territory.

“Dude, lube. Spit’s fine if you’ve got no other options, but come on, look at the size of your cock.”

“Oh, right. Sorry. I…I forgot…since…yeah. Right.”

Goten slapped Trunks’s ass as he hopped out of the bed, dug in his bag, and tucked his big body back underneath Trunks’s narrower one. Trunks whispered, nervous almost to trembling now, “Did…did you think this was going to happen?”

“No! I _never_ thought this would happen. But, uh, we’re gonna be on a cruise for two weeks. I’m…well…I do alright…especially if I can wear a swimsuit,” Goten said and blushed, smiled shyly.

“Ten! Of course you do, look at you, you sexy motherfucker. I can’t believe you never told me. I can’t believe I'm so stupid I missed you hitting on me.”

Goten giggled and rose up off the bed to kiss all over Trunks’s chest and shoulders. “Gods, Daddy, you’re so fucking hot. This is like a dream come true.”

“Ten, I want you so bad,” Trunks gasped. He lubed his fingers and tentatively dragged them over Goten’s pucker, watching his best friend’s handsome face. Trunks had no idea what he was doing. He had watched gay porn, but most of it seemed to skip this part, just cutting straight to dick in ass, but Trunks imagined that wasn’t appropriate or pleasant. Trunks felt the powerful muscles in Goten’s ass, the way they would grip Trunks, but as he stroked up and down over Goten’s entrance, Trunks felt him relax.

“Oh fuck, Ten, you…oh fuck, can I?” Trunks said, pushing his middle finger gently on Goten’s bud, not penetrating him, just adding pressure.

“Yeah, Daddy, please, I need it…” Goten gasped. 

Trunks met his eyes and they were so hungry as Trunks pushed his finger inside Goten, like something straight out of his fantasies. “Holy shit, Ten,” Trunks murmured and kissed Goten. He pulsed his finger, delving deeper and deeper with each thrust. Goten panted against Trunks’s shoulder as he curled up to kiss along his neck. Trunks had read about how to find someone’s prostate, so he tried to be smooth and casual in his search.

“Gods, Daddy, that’s it…yeah, fuck, Trunks…Fuck!” Goten cried as Trunks felt the swollen area inside his best friend. He pressed on it, pulsed on it, and Goten pleaded, “More, Daddy, I need more…”

“You want another finger, baby, or you want my dick in you?”

“Another finger, then your perfect fucking dick,” Goten breathed and kissed Trunks more, clutching Trunks’s face with one hand, stroking his own cock with the other.

Trunks _really_ liked that and had not realized how much he would like watching Goten touch himself. He thought about Goten’s offer in the bathroom and decided that was on his cruise bucket list. “Baby, I love watching you touch your prick, look how I’m working you…” Trunks gasped, not even knowing where the words were coming from, because they sounded way more confident than he felt. There was milky fluid pouring out of Goten’s slit, and Trunks was kind of proud of how well his first attempt fingering an ass was going.

Trunks slid his ring finger alongside his middle finger and drove harder inside Goten, reached for his spot, working it in tight little circles. Goten’s hips came up off the bed, his hair flickering gold. His eyes squeezed tightly shut as he threw his head back, but Trunks knew they would be flashing teal. “You like that, baby?”

“I need your dick, Daddy. I need you to fuck me,” Goten said, his eyes snapping to Trunks’s, and they were teal, even though Goten’s hair was mostly black. It was so hot to make his best friend lust like this, to lose control.

“You sure you don’t want me to make you come just like this, baby? Then push my cock inside you while you’re still clenching, start fucking you nice and slow?”

Goten’s mouth dropped open and he gasped, “Trunks! I—I—fuck!” and he pumped himself furiously as his giz poured out onto his belly, sliding into the grooves between his abdominals.

Trunks used his other hand to put more lube on the condom and said, “Can I fuck you, baby? You ready for your Daddy?”

Goten nodded wordlessly, emphatically, his hips writhing. Trunks slipped his fingers out of Goten and pushed his leg up while he aligned himself. It took all his willpower to move slow. He didn’t want to know if Goten had been fucked by other guys. Trunks wanted to pretend he was the first. That he was claiming Goten. He didn’t care if it was creepy, he wanted it so badly his mouth watered at the thought. The memory of his father’s livid scar made his canines ache, made them grow, if Trunks wasn’t hallucinating. Trunks growled at the thought of marking Goten, branding him forever as Trunks’s mate. He could practically taste Goten’s blood.

“Fuck, Daddy, there’s so much of you,” Goten breathed, pulling on the back of his thighs and bringing Trunks down from his potentially catastrophic ‘mate’ fantasy.

Trunks’s brow furrowed and he said, “You okay, baby? You want me to pull out?”

“No, fuck, no, you feel good, just nice and slow to start…”

“Yeah, I’m gonna fuck you so nice and slow until you beg me to fuck you hard, Ten,” Trunks said. He shifted his weight onto one arm so he could stroke Goten’s prick. He put lube in his hand and gripped Goten tightly. Goten fucked up into Trunks’s fist and he loved that as much as he loved Goten touching himself.

“Baby, you’re so gorgeous. And your dick is perfect. I love touching you while I’m inside you.”

Goten said nothing, but his mouth hung open. Trunks knew taking his cock was a lot. Even for girls, Trunks’s prick was a lot. Goten breathed deeply and Trunks could feel the strain of his muscles trying to keep himself open for Trunks. After a long, slow, plunge, Trunks was all the way inside Goten.Trunks took his own deep breath and thought frigid thoughts, because the last thing he wanted to do now that he’d made his best friend take his oversized prick was blow his load instantly. No, he needed to make Goten come so hard that his ass remembered the next time.

“Fuck, Daddy, you fill me up…” Goten rasped, but started to move his hips just a little.

Trunks let him control the movement for a while, using most of his focus to not come from the ecstasy of Goten’s tight little ass gripping him like they were made for each other. Trunks kept running his fist up and down Goten’s length, pre-cum pouring out of his best friend. Trunks said, “You feel incredible, Ten.”

“Yeah? Fuck me a little, Daddy, so gentle, okay?” Goten murmured and curled up to kiss him. Goten’s eyes were glittering and wide, full of joy and trust.

“Of course, baby. Daddy’ll take care of you,” Trunks whispered and kissed Goten tenderly as he began to rock his hips against Goten’s well-muscled ass. Trunks slid out about halfway, very slowly, and plunged back in at the same leisurely pace. He poured a little more lube on Goten’s pucker, so he could fuck it inside Goten’s tight heat.

Goten breathed, “Oh, yes, fuck, Daddy, that feels so good. Make me so wet for your dick.”

“Gods, baby, that dirty mouth of yours makes me so hot.”

Goten beamed and Trunks smiled back helplessly before bending to kiss his love. He kissed and kissed Goten, still stroking him, and he plunged deeper, pulled out again, and thrust again with more lube until Goten could no longer kiss he was gasping and crying out so constantly. 

Trunks panted, “Yeah? Is that good, baby? You want me to fuck you a little harder? Hit your spot?”

“Fuck, yeah, Trunks, fuck me. Fuck me harder!” Goten pleaded. As soon as Trunk started moving faster and deeper, Goten reverted to just making staccato noises of pleasure. The sound of Goten’s pleasure turned Trunks on more than he ever fantasized.

“Your ass is fucking divine, Ten,” Trunks’s said, leaning back a little to push Goten’s leg up more.

“Oh shit! Trunks! Daddy! Yes! Hit it! Hit it! Gods, please! Please! Please!” Goten begged and Trunks bashed against the spot inside Goten until he shivered and came, his dick twitching in Trunk’s hand, cum flying through the air.

Goten’s ass started clenching and seizing on Trunks and he groaned low in his throat. “Fuck, Ten, I know we need the condom, but someday, baby, I just want to come inside you. Really inside you, you know?”

“Do it, Trunks! Come inside me, Daddy!”

Trunks’s orgasm gripped him so hard he thought he would never be able to breathe or move again as he pounded Goten. Goten screamed for him, clutched at his ass, just as Trunks had dreamed countless times, and Trunks moaned Goten’s name again and again. “I love you, Ten, gods, your fucking ass! Love you so much!” Trunks rasped, his orgasm finally relenting enough that he could think.

He collapsed on Goten, kissing him and not caring at all about the squelching of so much cum on their bellies. Goten wrapped his big, powerful arms around Trunks and squeezed. Goten kissed furiously, breathlessly, and only paused to murmur, “I love you so much, Trunks. Holy shit.”

Trunks pulled out gingerly and was relieved to see the condom had survived their Saiyan-strength orgasms. The animal part of his brain screamed, _wrong, wrong, wrong,_ to see his seed wasted that way. His seed belonged inside his mate. Trunks shook his head. All his father’s overwrought, dramatic talk of mates and claims and irrepressible biological urges was clearly effecting his judgement in his lust-addled state. But even in the bathroom, the base of his brain complained: _wrong, wrong, wrong._

Trunks tied off the condom and threw it away. He cleaned himself up. He got a wet washcloth and a towel and cleaned Goten off. Goten watched him silently with wide eyes. Trunks liked caring for Goten, taking care of Goten. He wanted to protect Goten. To keep him safe and happy. 

But as Trunks crawled back in bed, Goten’s brows were rumpled up in a little sad pile in the middle. Trunks held him tight, his heart aching to see his mate upset, and said, “Hey, baby, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Goten shook his head, tried to relax his brows, and failed. He looked away from Trunks and his cheeks flushed. Trunks pressed his forehead to Goten’s, made Goten look at him, and said, “Hey, Ten, what’s wrong? Seriously, tell me. Anything. I don’t want you to be _sad_ after we fuck.”

“I…It…It feels _wrong_ that we used a condom. I don’t know how to explain it better than that. Like my orgasm was insane, but then you came, and my body just felt…deprived. Like super thirsty. Weird, right? Do you think it’s just from all Vegeta’s crazy nonsense?”

“Yeah, I kind of had the same thing. Like it almost…hurt. Not quite. We can’t really get pregnant can we? And I’m clean,” Trunks offered, and that angry voice in the base of his brain liked that.

“Yeah, I’m clean too,” Goten said with a big smile.

“I don’t want anyone but you, Ten. So I’m fine doing it raw if you are,” Trunks murmured with a kiss.

Goten’s face crumpled again and he said, his face downcast, “I dunno, Trunks, what if it isn’t bullshit? I mean, if Piccolo’s preggers, maybe we can be too? Weirder shit has happened in our lives.”

Trunks sighed. “I guess that’s true. I might talk to my mom about it tomorrow, if I can make myself start that conversation. I can’t believe my dad told me not to suck at fucking. And got the appropriate size of condom for me,” Trunks said and they both snickered.

Goten said, “Hey, at least they don’t care that we _are_ fucking. Can you imagine what _my_ parents would say?”

“Oh, fuck, ChiChi is gonna murder me!” Trunks said, his eyes widening. “Shit! Ten! What are we going to do? If we come out to them, they’ll never let you stay over anymore.”

Goten shrugged. “I’m fine waiting to come out till we have our own place. If you want to come out and like go out, it’s not like we’re ever gonna see my parents out in the city. You graduate this year and you know your dad is all too happy to kick you to the curb.”

“Yeah, but my mom will help out while I’m in college at least,” Trunks said. The idea of not having a decent place for his mate to live upset Trunks.

“So I’ll just come stay at your place. What are my parents going to do about it?” Goten said.

Trunks realized suddenly that he had been thinking of Goten as his mate. Vegeta’s madness was clearly catching. Trunks said, “I know, Ten, but I don’t want your parents to hate me. What if your dad gets it in his head to, I dunno, murder me?”

“You don’t think your dad wouldn’t love any excuse to go toe to toe with Goku? C’mon, Trunks, stop worrying about it and cuddle. I’m allowed to spoon you now that we’re fucking right?” Goten said, and his grin was so innocent and hopeful that it broke Trunks’s heart a little.

Trunks kissed Goten and said, “Ten, I want you to be my boyfriend, not just like my best friend that I fuck sometimes. Do…do you want that?”

Goten’s cheeks turned a pretty pink and he stammered, “You…I…seriously? You…um…you want to date me? Like…tell people? Like our friends even?”

“Of course, Ten. I love you. I don’t want to have to hide it anymore. I’ve hidden it long enough,” Trunks brushed some of Goten’s wild hair out of his face and bent to kiss him more.

“Okay, yeah, okay. Um, but yeah, brace yourself for ChiChi.”

“I think my mom will keep me safe.”

“Yeah, if there’s anyone who isn’t cowed by my mom, it’s your mom,” Goten said with a little giggle. “Our dads think they’re all tough, but our moms are the really scary ones.”

Goten curled back against Trunks as Trunks laid down next to him. He pulled Goten’s whole, hard body against him and sighed contentedly. The intoxicating smell of Goten was all around him, and it only took seconds for Trunks to fall into a deep, happy sleep.


	5. Saiyan Fire

Trunks couldn’t stop blushing and smiling every time he looked at Goten as they brushed their teeth and packed up their stuff early the next morning to go board the cruise ship. Bulma knocked when it was time to go. Trunks whispered, “Um…so…are we…are we…out? Like…you know…”

“Man, Trunks, I never thought I’d make you all stupid and bashful. I kinda like it,” Goten said and gave Trunks a kiss on the cheek.

“Are we together? Like, can I hold your hand and stuff? Or will that embarrass you?” Trunks asked, staring into Goten’s eyes. He was still in shock that it was happening. That Goten wanted him. That they’d had sex. Amazing sex. That they’d had sex _again_ in the morning, and it had been even better.

Trunks’s only worry was that the ridiculous, Vegeta-madness-induced little voice in Trunks’s head that cried, _wrong, wrong, wrong,_ about the condom the night before had screeched and wailed, _WRONG, WRONG, WRONG,_ about the condom this morning. Trunks didn’t dare tell Goten, for fear his best friend just thought it was some ruse not to bag it. He respected Goten too much to pressure him not to use condoms. That wasn’t what Trunks wanted. It was just that the urge to come inside Goten was so strong that Trunks had almost ripped the condom off mid-thrust. He wanted to tell Goten so Goten could punch Trunks in the face if he tried to do that.

Goten kissed Trunks more thoroughly as they opened the door and said, “You can do whatever you want, beautiful, you’ll never embarrass me. Will I embarrass you?”

“Hell no! I love you! I’d love to be able to, you know, show you off. Show that you’re mine,” Trunks said and grinned. 

Out in the hallway, Bulma smiled at Trunks knowingly. “Morning, sweetie. Morning, Goten. Did you boys get any sleep after Vegeta’s fire and brimstone sex talk?”

“Mom!” Trunks hissed. Why did his parents insist on humiliating him in front of his brand new boyfriend? It wasn’t as if Goten didn’t know what his parents were like after practically living with them for most of his life, but this was different. Talking about sex in a hotel hallway was different.

“Oh for Kami’s sake, Trunks, you were both there, it’s not like Goten’s forgotten your father’s little chat. You boys excited for the cruise? Lucky we got you your own suite, I guess.”

Trunks didn’t want to ask where Vegeta, Bulla, and Piccolo were, but he wondered. He said, “Hey, Mom, once we’re on the ship, can we…can we talk?”

“Of course, sweetie, but I can’t promise I have answers for all your questions. I know you and your dad…grate…on each other at times, but the Saiyan stuff, that stuff, you need to talk to him about.”

“No…this is like, life stuff.”

“Sure, sweetie,” Bulma said and wrapped him in a one-armed hug.

Before Trunks had a chance to say anything more, at least one question was answered when Piccolo emerged from his parents’ suite holding Bulla on his shoulders, ducking so she didn’t bonk her head. She cuddled his bald head and kissed it happily.

“Love you, Piccy!”

“Love you too, short-stuff,” Piccolo said and squeezed her little knees in his huge hands.

Now that Trunks knew about Piccolo’s connection with his dad, it cast him in a whole knew light. Vegeta trailed out behind them with luggage and after he shut the door, he touched his fingertips to Piccolo’s lower back. Trunks wondered if they’d always done stuff like that and he’d just never seen it, or if it was new, like now they were out of the closet too. Piccolo turned to Vegeta and his eyes searched Vegeta’s.

Vegeta and Piccolo said nothing to one another, but their facial expressions were shifting enough that Trunks assumed they were speaking telepathically. Piccolo finally said, out loud, “Let’s just get on the fucking boat, okay?”

Trunks looked Piccolo over. He could see it, since he knew. Piccolo’s stomach was distended under his linen, button-down, short-sleeved shirt. Piccolo met Trunks’s eyes and Trunks didn’t know what he expected, but he didn’t expect to hear Piccolo in his mind.

_I always thought we should tell you. I’m not the reason we weren’t more open. I hope you don’t hate me now._

Trunks’s mouth fell open. Could he speak back like this? Did he want to? He stepped closer to Goten, grabbing his hand in the one not holding a suitcase.

“Sweetie, I know you two are lovey-dovey now that you figured yourself out, but could you carry another suitcase. Piccolo’s…not carrying stuff…so we have more stuff with less big brawny guys.”

Goten smiled at Bulma and said, “I got it, Bulma.” He swung her bag around so their handles were tight together and picked both up easily in his spare hand.

Bulma laughed. “Aren't you just the model son-in-law, Goten,” she said and patted his shoulder.

Trunks’s face caught fire again and he groaned, “Mom, he’s not—“

“Oh, Trunks, stop being so uptight. We’re not going to suddenly have a bunch of scruples just because you finally accepted that you want to have sex with Goten. He’s already basically our son, whether you two get married or mated or anything is irrelevant,” Bulma said and waved her hand dismissively at him as she headed down the hall toward the elevator. Trunks wished he could hide, but Goten chuckled. Trunks’s face split open in a goofy smile: at least Goten didn’t mind Trunks’s weirdo family.

The elevator ride was possibly the most awkward experience of Trunks’s entire life, even though no one else seemed to think so. Piccolo and Vegeta were clearly still conversing, but it looked more amiable. Trunks couldn't unsee the way Vegeta’s hand slid under Piccolo’s shirt. His mother’s too, which Trunks was used to noticing because Vegeta, in general, abhorred public displays of affection, but in crowded places or places that Vegeta deemed threatening for his own bizarre Saiyan reasons, he liked to have a hand on Bulma. Had Vegeta always had a hand on Piccolo too? What were they talking about? Was his father so silent and surly all the time because he was always mid-conversation with Piccolo?

Goten saved Trunks from his spiral of rumination by squeezing his hand. He bonked their shoulders together and said, “Dude, I’m so pasty, I’m going to have slow-roast or I’ll just be a lobster by the end of the day.”

Trunks relaxed some and smiled. He loved his mate so much. His eyes widened. He didn’t mean to think that word. It just happened. He swallowed and said, “Yeah, me too. I’ve got a bit more melanin, but not much. I think I saw on the brochure that our suite has a hot tub that overlooks the ocean? And the buffets…Dude, they are not gonna have enough food for four Saiyans.”

Vegeta grunted and smirked, but said nothing. Trunks couldn't tell if that was directed at his comment or at something Piccolo said telepathically. When the doors dinged and they all poured out into the lobby and headed for the docks, Vegeta grumbled, “Gods, woman, can we please just carry you and fly? Look at the fucking traffic!”

“Vegeta, what if someone sees us?”

“We’ll go in the alley. Please? Have mercy,” Vegeta pleaded in a voice Trunks had never heard him use. His eyebrows shot up. Now that he had a moment to look at him, Vegeta looked rough. Vegeta looked near to…crying.

“Okay, Vegeta,” Bulma acquiesced, her face full of pity. 

* * *

Inevitably any time they went somewhere public like this, people recognized Trunks’s whole family, including Piccolo. Trunks was feeling like a complete rube looking back at his life, all the obvious and blatant ways Piccolo was a part of things. Many people recognized Vegeta and Piccolo from the whole Majin-Buu episode, so there was also a fair amount of cringing out of their way.

Trunks scrutinized Piccolo more. The ridiculously tall man looked tired, more tired than Trunks had ever seen him. How old was Piccolo? How old was Vegeta? Vegeta must be close to fifty, but it was so hard to tell with Saiyans. Bulma was technically close to fifty too, but Trunks was fairly certain the dragon balls might have been employed to put her on a more Saiyan clock. What other truths did his parents hide in the shadows?

A sigh of relief escaped Trunks when he and Goten reached their suite. Trunks looked around. The bed was huge. There was a giant en suite bathroom with a roomy steam shower that had a bench and multiple heads. The bath was big enough for both of them. The balcony hung over the ocean with a two person hot tub. There was a menu that you could order from twenty-four hours a day and Bulma told them that the cruise was all inclusive so they could get whatever they wanted.

Trunks looked out over the ocean. He wanted to go seek out his mother and find out more about what the fuck else he didn’t know about his life. Goten’s arms wrapped around him from behind, obliterating all desires except those for Goten. Soft kisses down his neck made Trunks shiver. Goten’s fingers found the lower edge of Trunks’s shirt and pulled it up over his head.

Trunks spun into the arms of his best friend, his boyfriend. _Mate_ , his mind whispered. It scared Trunks to feel so strongly, so suddenly. He thought Vegeta was full of shit talking about all the biological-need nonsense, but the minute Trunks was inside Goten, he knew he couldn’t live without him ever again.

“Ten, I…I’m feeling really intense. Am I being insane?” Trunks whispered and kissed Goten deeply.

Goten hoisted Trunks on his hips and carried him back into the bedroom. He threw Trunks down and stripped off his pants. Trunks went to work on Goten’s clothes, feeling less dumbfounded with joy than the night before. Goten took off his own shirt and Trunks groaned. No matter how many times he saw Goten’s amazing body, he would never tire of it.

Trunks lunged up to suck Goten’s nipple as he grabbed hold of Goten’s cock, stroking him hard. But a hand-job would not suffice right now. Trunks was starving for Goten.

Goten pushed Trunks back down on the bed and took Trunks’s cock in his mouth, pushing it all the way into his throat. “Holy shit, Ten!” Trunks’s hips rolled up to meet his mate’s mouth. Goten groaned around him and grabbed Trunks’s hips, squeezing him.

Goten pulled off him and gasped, “I need you, Trunks…I need you inside me.”

“I need you too, baby, I want to fuck you so deep,” Trunks said and leapt out of bed to get a condom and the lube.

It felt like wrapping his dick in fire when he put it on, but he persevered for Goten. On the off chance Vegeta wasn’t entirely full of shit, Trunks would never risk _impregnating_ Goten. It hurt to have his dick burn that way, and he grimaced.

“Trunks? You okay?” Goten asked. Goten sat up to grab Trunks’s ass where he knelt on the bed between Goten’s legs.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Gods, I love you, Ten. I love you so much. Can I…can I rim you?” Trunks asked, hoping the pain would die down in a minute or two. Trunks also didn’t know if it was weird to ask permission to do things. He did it with girls, so he hoped it was okay with Goten.

Goten’s eyes widened and his lip tugged up on one side. “Fuck, yeah, of course, holy shit…Trunks…that…Fuck. That’s like my biggest fantasy,” he said, his cheeks dusting with pink again.

Trunks grinned and rolled Goten’s hips up, holding the front of his thighs. It was fun to be with someone strong and flexible and who had serious stamina. Goten could hold this position for hours if need be, not that Trunks would make him, but it was titillating to know there was almost nothing they couldn’t do together.

Trunks dragged his tongue over the tight, hot ridges of Goten’s pucker. Goten shivered under his touch and his ass twitched. Trunks moaned: he loved turning on his mate this way.

“Oh shit, beautiful, when you moan on me…Oh shit…” Goten whispered.

Trunks reached for Goten’s prick while he licked in a little circle just around Goten’s entrance, spiraling inward. He wrapped his hand around the base of Goten’s cock at the same time as he probed his tongue inside Goten, opening him, delving deeper as he relaxed for Trunks.

“Fuuuuuck…” Goten rasped.

Trunks slid his hand up Goten’s shaft and pre-cum bubbled out of his tip. Trunks never thought much about his Saiyan senses, but now his sense of smell was driving him crazy. He could smell Goten’s pre-cum, his sweat, his blood, the musky scent under his balls, and all of it made Trunks painfully hard. Literally painful. His dick was not feeling better. It felt worse every second that passed in the condom.

Trunks paused. He didn’t want to freak Goten out, so he said, “Hey, Ten, I’ll put another on, but I’m taking the condom off right now, just…um…just…” Trunks shivered the relief of having that thing off his dick was so instantaneous.

“You don’t need to use one, Trunks. It burned this morning. I don't know if I’m allergic to latex or what, but it was awful. I’d rather do bareback if you’re okay with it,” Goten said.

“I’m worried that it’s not the latex,” Trunks said, but couldn’t resist diving back into Goten and licking him more. Trunks plunged his tongue deeper inside Goten, stroking his cock more firmly and faster now that the condom wasn’t distracting him. Trunks wanted to taste every inch of Goten. The thought of tasting Goten’s blood, his teeth cutting through the flesh and scarring him, made Trunks so hard that he needed to think about anything else or he would come.

“Gods, I want it too, Trunks, please…Fuck, I want it so bad, Daddy,” Goten purred.

Trunks pulled away from the delicious, tight heat of his mate’s ass. He said, “What? You ready for me to fuck you, baby?” Trunks said, grabbing another condom, forcing himself to open it.

Goten’s eyebrows came together and he seemed to come out of a daze. He breathed, “No, I mean yeah, I definitely want you to fuck me. But I meant the bite, I want you to bite me like that, it’s…fuck…it’s going to make me come just talking about it.” Goten writhed beneath Trunks. 

Trunks didn’t realize he’d said anything out loud about wanting to bite Goten. Now that Goten had asked for it, Trunks’s pelvis throbbed with a needy ache. Trunks’s teeth grew razor sharp, his canines lengthening like he was a fucking vampire, not a Saiyan. Saliva poured into Trunks’s mouth. His dick dripped with pre-cum. The new condom laid half-open and half-forgotten on the bed. Trunks felt like an animal completely driven by instinct.

Trunks kissed Goten roughly. Goten’s teeth were sharper too and soon they were both bleeding. Trunks hoped that would slake his desire to bite Goten, to taste Goten’s blood, but it inflamed it. Literally. Trunks was on fire. His skin, every inch, burned. His brain, his whole mind, his conscious and his subconscious demanded he bite Goten, demanded that he encourage Goten to bite him back. They deepened their kiss, but Goten pulled away, arched his back so his perfect pec was right there. Inches from Trunks’s mouth.

“Please, Daddy, I need it. I need your mouth on me. Please…I need to bite you too, Trunks, please…I…I really _need_ it. I’m on fire,” Goten pleaded, writhing so they were frotting.

Trunks tried to recall what his father had said about the claiming nonsense, but nothing came back except the visual of that livid scar marking his father. Imagining Goten with such a scar forced Trunks to squeeze the base of his cock hard to stop his orgasm. Goten did the same thing almost simultaneously.

Goten’s eyes met his and he cried, “Trunks…please!” Goten didn’t sound like he was asking for a kinky sexual act, but like he was asking for a lifeline, asking for water in the desert, a breath of air under water.

“Ten…baby…I…oh fuck, I…are you sure?”

“Trunks! I’m on fire! Please! Please! Make it better! Please!” Goten’s voice was choked, like he was on the verge of tears.

Trunks sucked down Goten’s neck onto his pec. Goten hissed and bucked up against Trunks. He clawed at Trunks, pulling their bodies tighter together and smelling more blood was making Trunks feel wild and feral. They ascended to super-Saiyan simultaneously and Trunks growled, “ _Mine_ , Goten. You’re _mine_ , baby,” and sank his teeth into the perfect pectoral muscle of his perfect mate.

They came together, semen splattering and smearing them as their dicks slid against each other. Trunks held Goten still with the bite and adjusted to fuck him while tasting that perfection. Trunks used their cum to lube himself, but when he touched Goten’s ass, it felt slippery. Wet. Trunks groaned against his mate’s skin.

A tiny part of his mind, the only little rational clump of neurons left screamed for the condom and Trunks slid it on. It felt like driving a nail through his dick, but he managed and plunged into Goten hard.

“No! Trunks! It hurts! It burns! Take it out!” Goten screamed.

Trunks pulled out, whipped the condom off, and drove back inside his mate. Goten growled, a low, throaty satisfied sound, “Yes…Fuck, yes, Daddy, that’s what I need. Fuck me hard, Daddy! Fucking pound me. Don’t let go of me yet! Not til I come, not til I feel you come!”

Trunks’s body pulsated with ecstasy as he fucked Goten with nothing between them. Nothing had ever felt anything like this. Trunks would never survive without Goten now. Goten bashed up against him as Trunks thrust into him harder and harder.

Goten started twitching and gasped, “Now, come inside me, Daddy! Come in your mate! Come with me!!” Goten’s cock bobbed as shot after shot of cum jetted up their torsos.

Trunks’s whole body commanded him to come inside his mate. But the thought of impregnating Goten made Trunks withdraw at the very last second, adding his seed to Goten’s on his belly.

Goten howled and Trunks’s mouth came off Goten’s pec as Goten decked him. Goten tackled him, his face enraged. “Why did you hurt me like that?” Goten asked and tears sprang into his eyes, splashing down on Trunks as Goten pummeled him. “Why?! Why!? Why!?”

Trunks defended himself as he cried, “I didn’t want to knock you up, Goten! You’re fifteen! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I love you, but I didn’t…I could just feel that it would! I’m sorry! I love you! You’re mine, Ten!”

Goten slammed Trunks’s arms up over his head and his teeth found Trunk’s pec in the mirrored place, so their claims would press together when they fucked face to face. Goten bit Trunks hard and Trunks prepared for pain. Instead, he came again, even though his dick still felt torn asunder from pulling out. The ecstasy of Goten biting him mixed with the misery he’d caused Goten by pulling out in a confusing swirl. Trunks wept and moaned and bucked up so they were at least frotting. 

Goten’s mouth released Trunks. “Fuck me right, Trunks, I’m going to die if you don’t fuck me completely,” Goten pleaded.

“Ten…” Trunks groaned, “But…”

“I want it! I don’t care! I need it! I’m still on fire! Please, Daddy, don’t leave me like this!” Goten’s eyes were terrified. His mouth and face were smeared with blood, his teeth dripped red as he grimaced in pain.

“Ten, we…this…I…” Trunks couldn’t think coherently. Goten’s pain was visceral. Trunks felt his own burning agony, but like a phantom limb, Goten’s burning suffering hurt Trunks too.

Goten cried against Trunks’s chest, licking the claim and begging. Trunks rolled Goten onto his back. Trunks thrust into his mate again. Goten’s eyes rolled back in his head as they moaned together with relief. The burning stopped immediately.

Trunks didn’t know what to do except fuck Goten slowly, to draw it out as long as possible so maybe some sanity would return to them. Goten whispered, “Please don’t pull out again, Trunks,” and his eyes filled as his eyebrows crashed together. “Don't hurt me again,” Goten pleaded and touched Trunks’s face.

“No, baby, I never meant to hurt you. It hurts me too. I just…what are we going to do if you get pregnant, my mate?”

“Have a baby together?” Goten said with an adorable smile.

Trunks kissed him, their blood mingling together in his mouth, and he moaned. “Oh, baby, that sounds amazing when I’m balls deep in you, but I’m not sure it will when you’re in labor,” Trunks murmured.

Goten wrapped around Trunks and held him. They rocked together, enjoying the bliss of their new connection. Whenever their claims touched it sent euphoria threading through their veins like a hit. But their bodies were relentless. Their _Saiyan_ bodies. The burning pain started to creep back into Trunks’s balls the longer he staved off his orgasm. Goten obviously felt it too as his face morphed into a mask of suffering.

“You’re mine, Trunks, but you’re not mine until we finish it. We have to finish it. Please, Daddy, please come inside me. Don’t leave me to burn,” Goten gasped.

The last statement did Trunks in: he would never harm his love that way. Trunks kissed Goten deeply and slammed into him harder, snapping his hips until they were both panting. “Yeah? You sure, baby? If it’s what you want, I’ll come inside your perfect ass, my beloved mate. I’ll come so deep inside you if that's what you really want.”

“I do, Daddy! Fill me up! Fucking come inside me!”

“Come, baby! Come for your daddy!” Trunks growled.

Goten came hard, curling up to kiss Trunks again. His ass gripped Trunks and Trunks knew he could never hurt his mate like that again. Trunks cried out and his seed spilled inside Goten.

The ecstasy of coming in Goten, above and beyond the orgasm itself, shocked Trunks. Goten panted and his ass pulled at Trunks’s prick to get more as he groaned and praised Trunks. “Fuck, Daddy, your cum in me is like a drug. It’s amazing,” Goten rasped against Trunks’s lips.

Trunks rolled into his mate a final few times. They kissed tenderly and caught their breath. “Wanna take a quick shower, baby? Then we can go check out the buffet?”

“Mmm…Yeah, Daddy, and maybe we can come back and have another round before we go lay by the pool?”

Trunks grinned and said, “We’re not even gonna get a tan because we’re just going to fuck the whole cruise.”

“I hope so,” Goten whispered and kissed Trunks more as Trunks pulled out.

The door flew open and before Trunks even registered what or who had caused that, he was dangling by his throat again, staring into fiery blue eyes.

“What the fuck part of ‘bag it’ did you not understand, boy?! What have you fucking done!?” Vegeta growled. 

Before he could say any more, Goten attacked Vegeta. Goten hissed, his own teal eyes burning, “Stay off my fucking mate!”

Vegeta subdued him easily, and Trunks too, when Trunks tried to defend Goten. Now Vegeta had them both by the throat, one in each hand. Trunks hated that his father was shorter than both of them, but they could do nothing. Piccolo came in and closed the door, clearly worried someone would see Vegeta thrashing two minors. Vegeta tossed them both down with a disgusted sneer.

“You fucking idiot, Trunks. I told you! I fucking told you! Yesterday, for fuck’s sake! Did you godsdamned _forget_?”

Piccolo strode past the three Saiyans and returned with a couple towels. “Fucking hell, Vegeta, let the boys clean up. I told you to break it up sooner, or to wait. How is this helpful?”

“I don’t need this right now, Piccolo!”

“Well, I’m betting Trunks doesn’t need a light strangling, so maybe you should just settle the fuck down. You attacking them won’t get the cum out of whoever was bottoming.”

Vegeta, for once, seemed at a loss for angry words. Vegeta ran his hands through his hair. “Get cleaned up, get dressed, then we’ll talk. Don’t fuck again or I’ll come in and break it up like you’re dogs in heat.”

Trunks nodded. He knew he should be grateful to Piccolo. But he felt like all of this was Piccolo’s fault somehow. When he glared at Piccolo, Piccolo looked away, so downcast and sad that Trunks felt guilty. Piccolo hurried out of the room with his hand over his mouth. Trunks gaped. Had he just made Piccolo cry?

“I asked you for two things: bag it and don’t be mean to Piccolo, and you fucking do both within fifteen fucking minutes. Well done, you ungrateful brat,” Vegeta bit out. He hurried after Piccolo.

Alone again, Trunks said, “You okay, baby? I’m really sorry about my crazy fucking father.”

“I’m fine. You?”

“Yeah, fine. Let’s go take a shower and get this tongue-lashing over with,” Trunks grumbled.

Goten blushed and grinned. “I _like_ your tongue-lashings.”

Trunks crawled astride Goten’s lap and said, “I fucking loved doing that, Ten. I can’t wait to do it again without my dick on fire.”

“Weird that we’re both allergic to latex that badly,” Goten said, “I’ve never had that reaction before.”

“Goten. Seriously? It’s not the latex. It’s this crazy Saiyan bullshit.”

“You think?” Goten said, looking skeptical.

“You just punched me for not coming inside you. That’s not a latex allergy,” Trunks said, raising an eyebrow.

“I did?” Goten kissed Trunks all over his chest, licking the fresh bite mark. “Oh, yeah, I guess I did! Well, it really hurt!”

“I know, baby, I know, but I don’t have a clue why. Maybe if nothing else, my crazy dad can explain that? Though I really do not want to ask that question.”

“Maybe Piccolo could tell us?”

Trunks’s feelings about Piccolo at the moment were very confused, so he said nothing. They showered in a hurry, not wanting Vegeta to return. They held hands but Trunks said, “Let’s suppress our chi. I…I kind want to eavesdrop.”

Goten put his fingers over his mouth to hide his smile. “You’re gonna get us murdered, Daddy.”

“Maybe I’ll get us some straightforward fucking answers, baby.”

They crept down the hall and pressed their ears to the door.

“He might not hate me if he’d grown up knowing, Vegeta. Bulla doesn’t hate me, she’ll never hate me, because she knows I’m her Daddy. How did you think this was going to turn out?”

“I never said we had to keep it a secret! I said there was no need to rub the boy’s face in the fact that his family wasn’t typical of this stupid fucking planet. I also…I didn’t know how to explain to him that he’s…that he’s ours, but that Bulma…that Bulma kept him! You don’t think I’ve been feeling shitty enough about everything? I completely fucked up with Trunks! I haven’t done a single thing right with that boy and now this? Now he’s probably just impregnated his fifteen-year-old, _male_ best friend? What am I going to say to the harpy? To Kakarot? Kakarot’s probably going to murder me. Fucking gods, Piccolo, could you just…wait? Could you just put our stuff on hold?”

“Until when, Vegeta? Until I’m pushing out an egg next week? Fuck, I feel awful just being pregnant, but the way Trunks just looked at me,” Piccolo said and there was a long pause. His voice sounded thick when he continued, “I’m too old for this shit! Why now?”

Trunks heard movement and a tussle. Vegeta’s voice was softer, muffled, “I’m sorry, _minaiya_. I’m sorry. I’m being an asshole. I’m sorry. I love you. You’re so strong, it will be okay. We’ll go see Dende this evening, okay? I’m sorry. Please? Please don’t cry, beloved. I know I fucked everything with Trunks, I’m sorry. I’ll try to unfuck it. Oh, _minaiya, vk karam oon. Ripmlit qi._ ”

“ _Asef, vku-tseeka_ ,” Piccolo said, his voice trembling.

Trunks’s and Goten’s eyes went wide. Trunks, even though he’d been sure he made Piccolo cry, couldn’t even imagine it. Trunks knew his dad cried, Vegeta was an angry crier (something Trunks had inherited and hated), so he’d seen Vegeta cry, but never Piccolo. He also never heard his father speak Saiyan. And Piccolo obviously spoke it too.

Piccolo said, and it was hard to make out it was so quiet, “I’m scared, Vegeta. After all this time…what if it’s…what if it’s not right? Like with old human women?”

“Shh…No. It will be perfect. Bulla will have a little playmate. And fuck all, it will likely have an aunt or uncle the same age thanks to Trunks’s irresponsible prick.”

“Vegeta, don’t be unfair to the boy. You have never once used a condom with me.”

“That’s different! We were adults when we met,” Vegeta growled.

“The fuck it is! They’re adults in body, and probably less stupid than you when you first came to Earth. Neither of us was fit to have a kid back then, but we were brazenly unsafe anyway. And don’t pretend condoms didn’t feel just fucking awful when we tried. Just be…try to be…understanding. He blames me for all of this.”

“That’s ridiculous. You have nothing to do with it,” Vegeta snarled.

“It doesn’t matter what it is because it’s what he feels. Don’t make him hate me more, Vegeta. It sucks to have my own son not even know me, but to have him…to have him…” Piccolo sobs were audible now. “To have him hate me is just…just fucking heartbreaking! I told you we at least should have told him after Goten caught us. Fuck you. I’m going out to go hang out with Bulma and get some sun. Bulla will be starving when she gets up, so take her to get something to eat right away or she’ll blow shit up,” Piccolo said.

Trunks processed too slowly the import of Piccolo’s words and suddenly he and Goten were pressed not against a door, but against a rock hard chest covered in linen. They both slowly stepped away from Piccolo. Goten’s cheeks were maroon and Trunks felt certain his own were a matching shade of shame.

Piccolo sighed heavily and said, “Hey boys,” and walked past them, his eyes darting away from Trunks’s when Trunks tried to meet the big man’s gaze.

Piccolo moving meant Vegeta was in front of them, red, raw eyes ablaze with anger. “Were you fucking _eavesdropping_?” Vegeta hissed.

Trunks backed slowly away from his father. Vegeta snatched them both by a trigger point in their shoulders and dragged them whimpering into his room. He tossed them down and stepped in the hallway.

He didn’t close the door, so Trunks saw him cup Piccolo’s jaw and pull him down for a kiss. Piccolo wrapped his arms around Vegeta and they kissed deeply, passionately, and when they separated, they pressed their foreheads together. Vegeta had one hand on Piccolo’s jaw, but the other pressed into the hard rise on the top of Piccolo’s ass. Piccolo’s hand groped the same spot on Vegeta. Trunks felt that touch in his soul and tears filled his eyes. They were touching each other’s claims.

Yesterday Trunks would have been annoyed, maybe even disgusted, at seeing his parents express affection with each other, but aghast and outraged at seeing his father express affection with someone else. But now…now that he’d branded Goten that way, been branded in turn, Trunks only felt miserable that he’d judged them. Even seeing them touch each other’s marks made him want to hold Goten and caress his fresh claim.

Goten’s hand slid onto Trunks’s chest. Goten clearly felt it too. Trunks helped Goten to his feet and pressed his fingertips to his mate’s mark. They kissed softly, waiting for Vegeta and Piccolo to finish their telepathic conversation. Trunks couldn’t imagine hurting his mate the way Vegeta had hurt Piccolo. Making Goten cry. Keeping Goten’s baby from him. It made Trunks’s stomach hurt. But the part of him that had had two parents his whole life still seethed that Piccolo was ruining his life somehow. Destroying his family. Trunks had no idea what to feel. He wanted to know everything, the whole truth, all that had been hidden from him.


	6. Mother Knows Best

Piccolo left and Vegeta wheeled on Trunks and Goten, who involuntarily backed away from him. The look in Vegeta’s eyes was terrifying not because he was angry, but because Vegeta looked broken. He pressed his fists to his mouth and his chi soared. Trunks wondered if he was powering up to murder them or powering up to keep from murdering them.

“Why?! You fucking idiots! Goten, godsdamnit! What are we going to tell your fucking parents?!” Vegeta bit out.

Trunks expected Goten to cower and say nothing. Trunks eyes widened as Goten puffed out his chest and said, “That I’m having a baby with my mate, Vegeta. I don’t care what they think. I don’t care what you think. We wanted this. I wanted this. Trunks didn’t do anything wrong. We were on fucking fire, Vegeta! You could have been more explicit—“

“I warned you that you could get pregnant! I gave you a giant box of condoms! How much more fucking explicit could I have been?!” Vegeta growled, getting in Goten’s face. Goten was taller than Vegeta by quite a bit, but Trunks had the same vertigo feeling of his father somehow looking down on both Goten and himself even though his father’s feet were still firmly on the floor.

“Fuck. I knew I never should have acquiesced to this fucking cruise. None of this—“

“Didn’t you say it was inescapable, Dad?” Trunks said.

Vegeta sagged like Trunks had punched a hole in him. “Yes. You’re right. I just don’t want to deal with it.”

“So don’t. Why should our mating matter to you?” Goten said with what Trunks feared was a bit too much flippancy to maintain their mortal coils.

“Very well, Goten, you two can fend for yourselves. I have my own shit to deal with. Go spend some time in the pool or anywhere but here. I’d like to have a word with my son.”

“No. He’s my mate. He’s going to tell me anyway—“

“Then _he_ can fucking tell you!” Vegeta said and his hair flashed blue as he hissed, “But I want a word with my son!”

Goten seemed ready to argue so Trunks said, “It’s okay, baby, I’ll be right out. You want to go get your swimsuit? I promise. I’ll just be a few minutes, right, Dad?”

Goten left, but cast a worried glance at Trunks as he closed the door. Vegeta rounded on Trunks. “You need to stop being a shit to Piccolo. This isn’t his—“

“I heard him, Dad! And you said something about it last night, but I don’t fucking know what it means. What does it mean that you guys had me? But Mom too? I don’t understand! This is the godsdamned part you need to be more explicit about! Or warning me that my dick would catch on fire if I tried to fuck Goten with a condom. That would have been nice too! You think I wanted to impregnate him?! It was awful! Like every nerve in our bodies fought us! Why didn’t you tell me that would happen? Why? And why the fuck do you have man to man chats with Goten but not me? You did fucking shots with _him_? Gods! Maybe fucking _Piccolo_ and Mom should have raised me, you fucking asshole!”

“They did raise you! You blind fucking brat! They did! You just thought he was some fucking babysitter or nanny or playmate depending on which phase of your self-centered nonsense you were in!”

“Fuck you! I was a kid, Dad! You were a godsdamned adult! You just expected me to pop out of the womb and know all the shit it took you who knows how many years to figure out!? Fuck _you!_ ” Trunks started to leave.

Vegeta shocked Trunks like a million volts when he burst into anguished tears. Vegeta threw open the French doors onto the balcony and was gone. Trunks started after him, but a big hand wrapped around his wrist. “You’re not gonna want to do that right now, Trunks,” Piccolo said.

“Fuck you, too!” Trunks said and spit in Piccolo’s face.

Piccolo sighed, lifted his shirt, and wiped the spit off. To Trunks’s supreme horror, his mother said, “I’m so disappointed in you, Trunks.” 

Trunks hadn’t noticed that she was in the room. His eyes darted between them. “Where’s Goten?”

Piccolo said, “He’s in your suite,” but his eyes were looking past Trunks, assiduously avoiding his eyes.

“I want some fucking answers! Talking to Dad is getting me nowhere, it’s like talking to a house cat!” Trunks shouted at Piccolo.

“You better take that language down a notch, Trunks, or you’re gonna find out I don’t need to go Super Saiyan Blue to get some damned manners out of you,” his mom said. She squeezed Piccolo’s hand and said, “I can field this, honey. You want to go rest with Bulla? You can text me when she’s up and I’ll take her to eat. You look wiped out.”

Piccolo nodded, pecked Bulma’s forehead, and disappeared into one of the bedrooms. Trunks regretted every decision he’d made since getting on the boat. He wanted to go back and put that fiery condom back on. Then he wanted to stay in his room and avoid his father and Piccolo and even his mother for the rest of the cruise by having fire-dick sex with his mate.

Well. He didn’t regret that decision. Nothing had ever felt more right in Trunks’s life than mating with Goten. And even the thought of Goten being pregnant made Trunks’s stomach flutter happily. Maybe he’d just have to tough out the idiotic nonsense from his parents to be happy. But who were his parents?

Bulma glared at Trunks. “I raised you to be a decent human being. You _know_ he doesn’t feel well. You _know_ he’s upset. He just saved you from a beating that would have required a senzu bean or a trip to Dende and you _spit_ on him? Shame on you, Trunks.”

“Do you realize how upside down my world has been turned in the past twenty-four hours?”

“Is it that hard to still be wealthy, and smart, and handsome with a hot boyfriend, who I hear is now your mate, and to be on a two week all-expense-paid, all-inclusive cruise with said mate, and to find out you have not two loving parents, but three? Hmmm? Tell me, Trunks, tell me how any of that warrants what you just did?”

“He…he…he broke you and Dad up! He took my _parents_ away from me! He’s a home-wrecker!” Trunks knew he sounded whiny and petty, but it was the truth of how he felt. He hated Piccolo at that moment, whether it was justified or not.

Bulma threw her head back and laughed. She started to speak and laughed even harder. Then she said, “Oh Lord of Lords, sweetie. Come on, you want to get Goten and we’ll go sit by the pool and have this out? Because if you wake Piccolo with your cruel words, I’ll let Vegeta handle you.”

Trunks straightened up. He was leaning into his mother’s face, trying to intimidate her with his strength. He occasionally forgot that Bulma had survived years of Vegeta: Trunks was like a soft, cuddly kitten compared to his father. He swallowed hard and said quietly, “I’ll go get Ten and meet you by the pool.”

Bulma nodded and let him out of the room. She didn’t follow and he wondered if she was going to talk to Piccolo more. Gods, it was all so confusing.

Goten tried to waylay him with deep, delicious kisses and hands gliding over Trunks’s bare skin as he changed. Trunks tackled him and purred, “Baby, I know, I want more too, but I need to get this stuff figured out, it’s messing with me.”

“What does it matter? It’s not like it changes anything, right? We’re mated, they can’t separate us, and that’s the only reason you even know.”

“But…I…They should have told me!”

Goten shrugged. “Yeah, well, they didn’t. Just stay and make love to your mate…You can text your mom, tell her you’ll be out later.”

“Ten…I promise I will ravish you as soon as I get some answers, okay? We can start our slow roast. I don’t know about you, but I want to get a nice tan to show off for this guy that I think is super hot.”

Goten grinned and kissed Trunks. He laughed and said, “Okay, okay. Let’s go. We can grab some food afterwards, right?”

“Oh hell yeah, I’m starving.”

They found Bulma stretched out in a bright red bikini that was basically pasties and a thong. Trunks facepalmed. “Mom…gods, are you trying to pick up _another_ father for me?”

“Excuse me?!” Bulma said and peered at him over her sunglasses. “I will dress however I want, young man, and you are not entitled to comment on it. I don’t comment on you in your tight little swim shorts, when you were trying to pick up enough pussy that you could stop lusting after Goten.”

“Mom! Gods! Stop it!” Trunks whined.

Goten laughed and bumped Trunks’s shoulder with his own. “You care if I go swim, Daddy?”

Now Trunks truly wanted to die because Goten had not whispered the endearment. He had said it openly, proudly, and Trunks’s mother had most definitely made note of it. She smirked and raised an eyebrow so it arched above her large sunglasses. Vegeta had not only managed to pass his smirk on to Trunks’s baby sister, but to his mother, somehow, maybe just via smirk osmosis.

“Sure, baby, go swim. Don’t stay out too long, you’ll be a lobster.”

Goten grinned and leaned towards Trunks. He whispered, “Okay if I kiss you?”

“Always, baby,” Trunks said, and met Goten’s mouth hungrily. His hand trailed up Goten’s steely arm and onto his mark. Just resting his fingers on Goten’s claim made Trunks feel more at ease. Goten did the same thing, and it produced the same effect. Trunks bumped their foreheads together and murmured, “I love you.”

Goten flushed happily and strutted to the pool, drawing a lot of attention to himself when he leapt in the air flat-footed and executed a dizzying number of flips before diving without a splash. Trunks smiled and watched his mate surface, whipping water from his wild black spikes.

“You done ogling? Bulla’s going to be up soon,” Bulma said. Trunks nodded and sat on the edge of the chaise next to her and faced her. She snickered and said, “Daddy, huh?”

“Mom!” Trunks screeched, covering his face.

“Oh, for the love of Kami, Trunks, if you’re about to have a baby, it’s not like we need to pretend you aren’t fucking him.”

Trunks’s cheeks burned. “But…could we pretend anyway?”

“Sure, sweetie. But you better do a lot of growing up in the next six to ten months.”

“What? Six to ten? Why the, uh, the range?” Trunks was glad he had on sunglasses so Bulma couldn’t see that his eyes were filling with tears.

“Saiyans evolved to be able to vary the length of their pregnancy depending on external variables like food and danger. You and Goten have the added wild-card of being hybrids. Which incidentally might mean you can’t get pregnant at all as hybrids are often sterile. But Gohan managed to procreate. I’ll be interested to see how it all plays out.”

“We’re not a science experiment,” Trunks grumbled.

Bulma laughed and flagged down a man carrying a tray of what appeared to be daiquiris. She took one and dug in her purse to put a tip on the tray. The young man smiled at her, checked her out, and Trunks rolled his eyes as they flirted for a few minutes. When she turned back to Trunks he thought about saying something, but his mother seemed dangerous this morning.

“Whether you want to be or not, sweetie, you are a science experiment. All of you are. Your father said Saiyans interbred with other species all the time because of their colonial way of life, so he thinks it will be viable.”

“Can we stop talking about me and Ten? _That_ is not why I’m stressed out.”

“Yes, sweetie, and everything is all about you,” Bulma said with a dark bite of sarcasm that made Trunks cringe.

“You’re my _mom_ , why are you being so mean to me?”

“Why are you being cruel to your father and your secret father?”

“I’m not being cruel!”

Bulma shook her head and took a big breath. “What do you want to know, Trunks?”

“Everything! I don’t even know what to ask I’m so overwhelmed and confused. But for starters, who…who are my parents?” Trunks said, trying not to cry, but his voice hitched.

Bulma shifted in her chair. “That’s not a simple answer, Trunks.”

“I heard Piccolo say that I’m _his_? But how? I don’t look anything like him!”

Bulma took a swig of daiquiri. “You know how Vegeta and Nappa came to Earth? To kill everyone? And Nappa killed Piccolo?”

“Yeah, gods, I don’t—“

“Trunks, let me speak,” Bulma said in a menacing tone, “Vegeta gave them a three hour respite to see if Goku would show. The story that everyone tells is that they all sat around patiently staring at one another. That is not what happened. That is not why Vegeta allowed the pause. Piccolo said he’d take on Vegeta alone. Which he did, in a manner of speaking.”

Trunks shrieked, “What?!” People near them turned to stare.

“Yes. Then Piccolo was killed by Nappa against Vegeta’s orders. Vegeta spiraled out of control into complete villainy. When they were both resurrected again on Earth, it was intense for them. They were crazy-attracted to one another, both died, but suddenly had another chance. So they mated and carried on with their lives. Your father lived at my place, so I knew about it, and they weren’t sneaky anyway. I got to know them both, even if they are both surly and prickly and wary. I could tell they were despairing about something, but it never occurred to me that they were trying to have a baby.”

“Can I ask how that works?” Trunks said.

“You can, but not now. Anyway, we all got along pretty well, particularly me and Piccolo, by the time your future self came back. Piccolo heard that you were Vegeta’s with me. At first he just lost his shit completely, not telling either me or Vegeta what he’d heard. Then more time passed and Piccolo had a different idea. After the Future Trunks visit, they came to me to see if I could help resolve their infertility. We tested what we could figure out, but since both Vegeta and Piccolo grew up away from their people, neither had a lot to go on individually, let alone trying to get pregnant cross-species.”

“But Dad knows lots of stuff about Saiyans, so why—“

“He knows more than Piccolo knows about Nameks, to some extent, though merging with Nail gave Piccolo some knowledge. Vegeta was really young when Saiyans were exterminated, though Nappa tried to pass on some stuff. But Nappa also…was Nappa.”

“Okay, but still—“

“You’re driving me crazy with your interruptions. Piccolo thought about what he’d heard your future self tell Goku. He floated an idea to Vegeta: that Vegeta could impregnate me as a surrogate. They knew Saiyan-human hybrids were viable because of Gohan. Piccolo came to me and asked if I’d be willing to have a baby for them. He said we could do it clinically or the old-fashioned way. Vegeta was okay with it because he felt that I was the best of the human gene pool,” Bulma said the last part with obvious pride. “I had to think for a long time. I didn’t know how I felt about any of it, in no small part because I’d developed feelings for both of them, your father in particular, in that way, but Piccolo and I were really close too.”

“But…but…I…everyone thought that you guys just…just had a fling! That you didn’t connect your fling to future me.”

“Well, everyone in this case is a pretty small group of people, one of whom was Goku, who I love, but is a bit…naïve.”

“Okay, so you had sex with Dad and got pregnant.”

“Trunks, you’re not going to like this part. I don’t regret what I did, but it’s not…it doesn’t cast me in a very favorable light. Vegeta said you’ve been struggling with wanting to defend my honor or some bullshit along those lines.”

“I just hate that he did this to you! That he…he made you be in this permanent three-way! It’s not fair!”

“You’re so young, Trunks. Your father has never once been able to make me do a single fucking thing. I would think you, of all people, would know that no one _makes_ Bulma Fucking Briefs do a godsdamned thing. _I_ am the pants in this family, mister, and you know that. You’re scared of Vegeta, but you would never defy me because you don’t even know what would happen. I should have been the one to give you the sex talk, but I thought Vegeta might embarrass you less.”

“You did give me a sex talk!”

“Yes, but not the _Saiyan_ sex talk.”

“Oh, right…”

“Do you want the truth, Trunks? This is exactly why you’ve been kept in the dark the past few years, once you should have been old enough to explain things to. You are very attached to the idea of having a normal family. It’s understandable given all the strange things you have lived through and participated in, but the few times Vegeta tried, you just kind of shut down or find a way around hearing the truth.”

“I did not! I want the truth!”

“Well, sweetie, here it is. I agreed to have a baby for them, but only on the condition that we had a threesome. I didn’t want Piccolo to feel left out, but I also wanted him. They agreed and felt that would be easier for both of them anyway, but the deal was that if I got pregnant, the baby was theirs. I agreed to that too. I didn’t particularly want to be a parent then, and I liked the idea of a Saiyan hybrid—strong and brilliant. Which is what you are, my sweet boy.”

“Yuck, Mom, I don’t want to hear about you and two aliens having a menage a trois.”

“It’s part of the truth, and you said you wanted the truth.”

“How can the logistics of you getting pregnant matter! It’s not like I need to know the sex position I was conceived in to know _who_ my father is.”

“No, you don’t. This is relevant. Truth or not, Trunks?”

“Fine. Gods, can you keep the gross details to a minimum?”

“Sure, _Daddy_ ,” his mother said with a dark smirk. 

“Mom!”

Bulma laughed and continued, “So we had a threesome. Again and again. Because I didn’t get pregnant right away. By the time I did get pregnant…I was very attached to both of them. They were still mated to each other and so in love and devoted. Piccolo’s heart was breaking though, he wanted a family so bad. Vegeta did too, but he mostly wanted to make Piccolo happy. I suggested that we could just keep at it until it took, that it would, eventually, in one or the other combi—“

Trunks interrupted, spluttering, “Wait, so…so you…you have…you had sex with…with…with Piccolo?” Trunks yanked on his hair.

Goten’s arms wrapped around Trunks from behind. He kissed down the back of Trunks’s neck. Goten’s chilly, wet skin against Trunks’s bare back made him shiver with pleasure and cold. He turned into Goten’s mouth and as they kissed, Goten’s fingers pressed into the fresh mating mark. Trunks felt immediately better.

Bulma smiled at Goten and said, “You have a nice swim, Goten?”

“Yeah, thanks again for bringing me, Bulma! This is amazing!”

“You’re welcome, sweetie. You want to stay and hear the rest? If not, I’d like to finish talking to Trunks.”

“I’ll go get us some food, yeah, Trunks?”

“Sure, baby, that’d be great,” Trunks whispered and stole another kiss. Goten strutted off and Trunks returned his attention to Bulma.

“Of course I had sex with Piccolo, sweetie, what do you think a threesome is?”

“I…just…like…if he can get pregnant, I didn’t know if he had…the right…parts.”

“Trunks, you know that people without penises can have sex too, right?”

“Mom! Yes, okay, but if he was going to make _you_ pregnant wouldn’t he need…you know…”

“If I have to know about your daddy kink, Trunks, you can say that Piccolo has a penis.”

Trunks flushed and nodded, hoping his mother would just continue without him having to utter that word. He breathed a relieved sigh when she did.

“I need you to hear what I’m telling you: Piccolo didn’t home-wreck anything. He didn’t steal anyone. I did. They were happy together, they’d even decided to give up with me, but I lured them back to me. Because _I_ wanted them. I was jealous of what they had together. I liked being a part of it. I hated when they went back to their life without me.”

“But…you…you and Dad…you’re married!”

“Yes, as a financial fail-safe for them to be able to care for you and Bulla. It’s not as though Piccolo and Vegeta get paid for the work they’ve done.”

“Because neither of them—“

“Don’t you dare, Trunks. Don’t you dare.” Bulma’s fury was palpable, so Trunks held his tongue. He waited. She continued, “So we kept hooking up. I’d pretty much given up thinking it would ever happen and figured future you must’ve been a lucky fluke. But then, about a year before the androids, right on schedule, I turned up pregnant. They had never been happier. They got everything ready, they nested like a couple of wolves and waited anxiously to finally have _their_ baby. Because all along, Trunks, from the very first time I kissed them, that was the deal. That was the agreement. The only reason I was ever a part of their relationship was as a surrogate for _their_ baby.”

Bulma seemed to sense that this news would be upsetting for Trunks, and she was right. Trunks didn’t want those two grumpy aliens to be the only reason he existed. He wanted his mother’s unconditional love to stretch back to conception. He choked out, trying not to cry, “So you didn’t even want me? You were just going to give me away?”

“This is why we haven’t told you. You’re just…sensitive…about this stuff. And we had hoped you’d figure it out on your own with Piccolo around constantly, doing everything with you, but you didn’t. Do you want to hear the rest or not?”

“I guess so,” Trunks said, not really wanting to hear.

“I gave birth with both of them there, hovering like a couple of scary birds waiting for their egg to hatch. But you came out of me and I…I couldn’t let you go. I took one look at you and I fell in love and I told them to fuck off.”

Trunks breathed a huge sigh of relief. “So you always loved me?”

“Fiercely, my sweet boy,” Bulma said and kissed his forehead.

Trunks threw his arms around his mother and hugged her tightly. He didn’t want to find out she’d just been toughing him out all these years. He loved his mother so much that the thought of such love being unrequited made his bones ache.

“But do you understand what I’m telling you?” she asked, still rubbing his back as they hugged.

“Yeah, that you loved me all along,” he said.

“That’s not what I need you to take away from me telling you the truth of your origins, sweetie,” she said and pushed him back and lifted her sunglasses so he could see her eyes.

“What do you mean? That’s all I care about.”

“I know. That’s the problem. That’s why you’re fine with spitting in Piccolo’s face.”

“Well…Yeah, I’ll apologize. Now I see that he didn’t mean to mess stuff up—“

“No, Trunks, no. _I_ messed stuff up for them. I really need you to hear this, even if you don’t want to hear it, because I’ve kept it a secret too long. I convinced Vegeta that it was easier for everyone and better for you if you thought you had a normal family.”

“I _do_ have a normal family. Look, I’ll be nice to Piccolo, I promise. Nothing needs to change—“

“No. I thought you wanted the truth?”

Trunks swallowed hard and in a voice that he tried to pretend wasn’t a whine, he said, “Not…not this truth.”

“We don’t choose the truth, Trunks. I promised them when Vegeta agreed to have unprotected sex with me, I promised them that I would give them the baby. That they could raise the baby as their own. I didn’t want a baby, so I meant it. I really did. I meant to give them their baby. But…by the time I got pregnant, I was in love with both of them, and they loved me too, not like they love each other, but they really cared for me. Then I saw your little face, and I knew I could never let you go, but that you were also my ticket in. That they would never leave me if I had you. You were a tether. A tether I loved, I don’t want you to doubt that I have loved you always, but I used you, Trunks. And I almost broke both of them.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I told them I wouldn’t let you go. It wasn’t like we’d done any paperwork, and even if we had, the surrogacy laws of West City all support the biological mother no matter what—“

“Which they should! You made me!”

“I’m not going to argue about the letter of the law. I made a promise and I broke it not just because I wanted you, but because I wanted them. I couldn’t stand the thought of my life without them. So I said I was keeping you. Piccolo immediately said he’d do whatever it took to keep his baby, to be near you, to raise you, to love you as he had from the first time he pressed his big hands to my belly and felt your tiny chi. He immediately said that was fine. He loved you, and if loving me was required, he would do that too.”

Trunks’s jaw dropped. Trunks wondered if he’d need some sort of jaw reconstruction at the end of this cruise because he had to absorb so much shocking information. “But…but…but he’s not even my dad!”

Bulma shook her head and looked at Trunks with pity. “He is, sweetie. Of all three of us, no one has ever loved you more or longer than Piccolo. What you did back there shames me, Trunks. It shames me to the bone. That man has loved you fiercely and with no return on investment for seventeen years, and you have treated him like hired help at best, like an unwelcome houseguest more often, and worst of all, pretended half the time that he wasn’t there at all.”

“But…but…why…why didn’t, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you to know what I’d done. Because I still didn’t want to give you up. But I’m the home-wrecker, Trunks. Piccolo wouldn’t give you up, but Vegeta was livid, infuriated, and he said, no way. That I was a thief and a liar and that I’d planned to trap them all along. And he was right. He left. He left and it broke him and it broke Piccolo, but Piccolo stayed because he loved you. He couldn’t leave you, not even for his mate. He and I raised you until after the androids and Cell. After Cell, Vegeta begged Piccolo to take him back, not that it required much. They were both so abjectly miserable without each other. But even then, Piccolo said no dice if Vegeta wasn’t going to be a proper father to you, since he was your biological father.” Bulma downed the rest of her daiquiri and flagged the waiter for another. “I’m not proud of what I did, obviously. But I would never change it. You’re mine, Trunks, but it wasn’t right, what I did.”

“But, then, so, Bulla?”

“After Vegeta came back, we found a rhythm and a way to all live together and gradually they forgave me and we became what we are, a trio. I didn’t deserve them taking me back like that, but…but they did. I was ruthless in my selfishness. I made it happen. They don’t begrudge me anymore. Vegeta and I understand each other best because we’re both so completely selfish. Piccolo is just so loving that it works. He can tolerate us.”

Trunks stared, dumbfounded, at the deck of the ship. He didn’t want _this_ to be the truth. He wanted his mother to be the sane one. The nice one. He wanted Piccolo to be a villain, and Vegeta too. Now that Trunks had a mate, a claimed mate, his mother’s words almost physically hurt. Trunks thought of his father saying that infertility was ‘upsetting,’ with a mate. Vegeta’s face had been…remote…like he had been living back through that time. And if Piccolo and Vegeta had truly thought they were finally getting a baby only to have him taken away at the very last second? Trunks felt physically ill putting himself in their place. But he could empathize with Bulma too—carrying a child for nine months and then giving it away also sounded awful. And to have to choose between his mate and his child? It was nauseating to contemplate.

“This was the best for everyone, Trunks. But it was hard on Vegeta, the way I kept you. It was hard on him that Piccolo chose you, and by proxy me, over him. It was just…hard. And as a result, Vegeta has been hard on you. He wanted to be better, but he…especially…well…I don’t know. Maybe you should try to talk to him with…empathy.”

“Oh, right, because that’s totally Dad’s thing.”

“I know you hate him, sweetie, but Vegeta’s had a really hard life. I made it even harder for him.”

“By supporting him and giving him a son? And now a daughter? Which you still haven’t explained.”

Bulma’s eyebrows scrunched together visibly, even with her sunglasses. She shook her head and Trunks heard her swallow. “I wanted another kid. I asked for years, but they both felt what I’d done…too acutely. They were still trying too, still failing. I tried to help. I did a lot of medical research on both of them. But to no avail. Then they gave up, they grieved, and when I asked again, they said yes, on one condition—“

“Gods, why should they—“

“Shut your mouth, Trunks. They had every right. You may not like it, but the three of us have been together for a long time, fifteen years. But they’re pushing twenty. You don’t even realize, do you, that this, this fucking cruise, this fucking _anniversary_ cruise, isn’t for our wedding anniversary. We got married in front of a judge about seven years ago after I had a little health scare. It was only for security for you. No, this is _our_ anniversary. All three of us. Not that either of them would ever do such a thing without me prodding them into it. This is to celebrate Vegeta coming back and accepting the new order of things. Celebrating what I forced them into.”

“Oh,” Trunks said, wanting to have some snappy retort. Goten saved him, dropping down next to him with a giant platter of finger food. He leaned and kissed Trunks with a little smile and his cheeks turned pink.

Bulma said, “Should I tell you the rest?” Trunks nodded and she continued, “Their condition was that it be clear to Bulla from the very beginning that she had three parents. Piccolo was fine not being called Daddy because he thought it would get confusing, but Piccy was what she chose and tell me, in your heart of hearts, if you think Bulla has any illusions about who her parents are?”

Trunks shook his head.

“That’s right. She knows. I did things right with her. But I wasn’t trying to get my own way.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do with all this, Mom?”

“Stop being mean to Piccolo.”

“I…I don’t even really know him.”

“True enough. Not for lack of trying. He loves you, Trunks, he raised you. Especially that first year.”

Trunks slumped. He picked at the food that Goten brought. Before he could say anymore, Bulla plowed into him. “Trunksy! Trunksy! Are you going to swim with me once I eat?” Bulla inhaled half the platter of food.

“Hey, princess, what are you doing?” Goten said and snatched her up and started tickling her. “That was my food, you little gremlin!”

She giggled wildly, kicking Trunks in the arm with enough force that it was fortunate he wasn’t human. Bulla’s potential terrified Trunks. She was so much stronger than he’d been as a child.

A shadow fell over Trunks as Piccolo joined them. Bulma was up sitting on the side edge of her chaise to be able to look Trunks in the face while she told him the horror story of his childhood. Piccolo moved around to the other side of the chaise and laid back. He wrapped an arm around Bulma’s waist and she turned and gave him a kiss.

Trunks wanted to not react. A part of him knew it was not going to end well. But it was so upsetting to see his mother kissing someone else, see someone else’s arm around her bare waist, trailing his fingers up and down her thigh. “Stop that!” Trunks snapped.

Piccolo said nothing, but stopped kissing Bulma and lifted his arm, put it behind his head with the other. He kept his shirt on, likely to hide his belly, but his massive arms flexed and women around him who likely recognized him, ogled him. Bulma took her sunglasses off and glared at Trunks. “No,” she said, and tried to pull Piccolo’s arm back down around her. He shook his head.

“Bulma, it’s fine. I just came out to get a little fresh air while I brought Bulla out. I’m tired, so I…never mind. I’m going to go find Vegeta, he’s still upset.”

“I know, honey. When are you guys headed for shore? You want to take Bulla to my parents or leave her here?”

“You won’t have any help with these two,” Piccolo jutted his chin in Goten and Trunks direction, “So I’ll drop her with your parents. They said they’d take her when I called to tell them the news.”

“Does Dende have any thoughts?”

“He wants to examine me. Vegeta and I will go up tonight, but we’ll come back and hang out for a few days. I’m sorry this messed up your cruise,” Piccolo said, his arm moving to touch Trunks’s mother again, but he stopped himself. He sat back up and rubbed his eyes. “You good with Bulla?”

“No, Piccy! Where are you going?” Bulla whined when Piccolo stood up. She launched into his arms, drawing a few alarmed stares from people nearby.

“I’m sorry, blueberry, I need to go find Daddy, then I’m going to go lie down because I still don’t feel good. You can hang out with your brother and Goten and your mom, right?”

“No! I’ll come take care of you, Piccy. I’m sorry your tummy hurts from the baby.”

“Me too, but you should stay and have fun. Okay?”

“Okay,” Bulla said and kissed Piccolo’s cheek, squeezed her little arms around his neck and leapt off, speeding toward the pool, drawing alarmed stares as she launched into the water.

“I got her!” Goten cried, probably relieved to get away from Trunks’s foul mood and Bulma’s insane tale of drama and threesomes. It wounded him that his mother had somehow been turned into a villain by the two villains he knew. But there was no way Trunks could make peace with what he now knew. He didn't want the truth because it upset him, but now there was no looking back. He didn’t want Piccolo as a father.

“Hey, Piccolo, wait,” Trunks called, trying to be a man about it. He hurried after Piccolo and said, “I…I’m sorry I spit in your face.”

“Thanks, kid,” Piccolo said and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you the truth sooner. It would’ve been easier to adjust to when you were little. Enjoy your cruise. I’m happy for you and Goten. He’ll be a good mate.”

Piccolo strode off without looking Trunks in the eyes even once. Trunks watched him go, the big man’s body slumped and broken looking like Trunks had never seen it. He tried to imagine being Piccolo. Raising a child in secret, having that child, his child, hate him. Loathe him. Not even know him. Trunks’s stomach ached at the thought, his chest tightening until he felt like he would drown in his own confused distress, because no amount of empathizing made him want to blast Piccolo any less. He wanted Piccolo out of his life, then he wouldn’t have to feel guilty that he didn’t love Piccolo. Quite the opposite.

Trunks felt Piccolo’s chi rocket off in the direction of his father’s chi. It was obnoxious. What would they do out there? Would they console one another? Would they leave Bulma now that the cat was out of the bag? Trunks panicked. What if his rudeness to Piccolo ruined his parents’ marriage?

“Hey, Daddy, you feel like you’re freaking out. Come swim with me and Bulla. Forget about the old people for now, okay?”

“Yeah, of course, baby,” Trunks said and turned into Goten’s arms. They got a few looks, of course, but Trunks didn’t care. He was proud of his sexy, powerful mate, and the whole world could reject them and try to shame them and none of it would matter to Trunks.

Bulma was in the water with Bulla and laughing as Bulla motored her around like a little tugboat pulling a barge. Goten and Trunks jumped in the water and Bulla’s speed increased, causing people to scream and dive out of her way. “Trunks! Mommy says now you know about Piccy! That we’re going to have a new baby brother! Isn’t it exciting!”

“Sure, Bulla,” Trunks said, not even feigning enthusiasm.

“Trunksy, did you make Piccy cry? Piccy was sad when I woke up from my nap,” Bulla said and her chi rose dangerously.

Bulma said, “Bulla, sweetie, we already talked about this. Whose job is it to manage Trunks’s behavior?”

“Yours.”

“That’s right. Not yours. If you want to go play with the boys, you go play, but if not, I’ll stay with you. Piccy and Daddy are going to go up to the Lookout and see Dende today.”

“Then I have to go back to Grammie and Grampie?”

“In a few days, but that means you’ll be the first one to meet the new baby! Before it’s even a baby, probably, when it’s just an egg!”

Trunks and Goten’s jaws dropped together, their eyes going wide. Trunks croaked, “He’s…he’s…he’s going to lay an egg?”

“Yes, sweetie, that's how Namekians reproduce.”

Trunks almost swore, but his mother’s dark glare stopped him. He didn’t know why she cared, Vegeta used all manner of colorful swear words and insults in front of Bulla. Vegeta and Bulla were practically inseparable. How strange that the baby Vegeta and Piccolo had wanted together so badly, Trunks, neither had a relationship with, but the baby Bulma wanted was clearly a double Daddy’s girl.

Goten saved him from his misery again, dipping under the water and coming up with Trunks on his shoulders. He laughed and looked up at Trunks. Trunks caressed his face and said, “You’re so sexy.”

“I might be getting too much sun, Trunks, you want to go in for a little?”

“Mom, you got a handle on Bulla?”

Bulma snorted and said, “Yeah, Daddy, you go on in.”

“Mom!” Trunks cried. Goten giggled and launched Trunks into the water. They groped each other underwater and Trunks loved the brief peace of the muted noise and the soft lighting on his mate’s skin. Trunks let all the crazy shit his mother had told him float to the back of his mind, and he just enjoyed the feel of Goten’s hands on his skin, the way their eyes met, even under the water, and the way their chi felt entwined now.


	7. Thankless

Trunks tossed Goten on the bed the second they were in their suite, yanking down Goten’s swim trunks as he crawled above him. “Ten, gods, I can’t stop thinking about being inside you again…”

“You gonna fuck me again, Daddy? I love it when our claims touch, I’m glad we put them where they can touch while we fuck,” Goten whispered, kicking Trunks’s shorts down and off.

They were both hard and Trunks indulged in some frotting while they kissed. Their bites brushed together and they gasped in unison at the sublime pleasure that reverberated out from the still fresh wounds. Trunks realized that some of the looks they got at the pool might be because they had both clearly been bitten somewhat savagely.

The sweetest savagery ever. Trunks curled his tongue into his mate’s mouth. Goten’s mouth tasted divine, even better now that they were mated. Goten gripped Trunks’s hips, pulling their dicks tighter together. Trunks rolled them so Goten was on top and purred, “Can I finger you while we frot, baby?”

Goten grinned against Trunks’s lips. “Fuck yes, Daddy.”

It took some contorting, but Trunks was flexible and strong and so was Goten, who eventually twisted off to the side so Trunks could reach while kissing Goten’s flank and back. Trunks used his other hand to hold their cocks together as they bucked their hips. “Baby, I want to come all over your dick. I fantasized about doing this with you.”

Goten flexed his powerful back and ab muscles and bent in a mind-boggling way to kiss Trunks while still grinding together. Trunks reached deeper inside Goten and he broke their kiss as he cried out, “Fuck, Daddy, fuck, come with me!”

Goten’s cum splattering Trunks, the twitching of his cock against Trunks’s, and the heat of his mate’s tongue in his mouth were such a euphoric combination that Trunks ascended to super Saiyan as he climaxed. They pulsed together, panting, and kissed more languidly.

Goten murmured, “You want to talk, Daddy? About what your mom said?”

“No, I’m okay, baby. Just being with you makes me feel better.”

Goten took a breath, seemed to hold it, then said quietly, “Why are you so mean to Piccolo? He’s so easy-going compared to your dad, you might actu—“

“Please don’t be on their side, Ten,” Trunks said, but hated how whiny he sounded.

“I don’t think there are sides here, Trunks. I think there’s just your family, and your anger at being kept in the dark,” Goten said and kissed Trunks more. “Don’t be mad at me, Daddy.”

“No, not at you, baby. It’s just…I…”

Goten looked at Trunks with his knitted brows and he whispered, “If you can’t be honest with me, Trunks, who can you be honest with?”

“I feel like shit that I never thought about why Piccolo was around. I hate the truth. But…I also can’t even imagine the way I’ve hurt him over the years. How my mom hurt him. My dad. Can you even fucking fathom having to choose between me and our baby?”

“Wait, what now?” Goten said, sitting up. He held up a finger, sprinted for a towel and returned. He cleaned them both up, stealing more kisses, and then settled back in bed with Trunks in his arms.

Trunks told him the whole truth of what his mom had done and Trunks hated the sting of tears, but he let them out. Trunks felt like his bond with Goten was the only solid thing in his life. His mate. His love. His only. Goten’s eyebrows crumpled together and he said, “Oh man, what a cluster. Gods, poor fucking Piccolo. At least he finally gets his baby, after all this time.”

“He has Bulla already,” Trunks said.

“Yeah, he’s had you too, you just didn’t have him,” Goten said. More thoughtfully he said, “I don’t think you need to worry about them breaking up, Trunks. I know I’m kind of an honorary part of your family, but I’m also not. Since I caught them, I notice it everywhere, the way they love each other, but they love your mom too. You shouldn’t have yelled at Piccolo for touching your mom, Trunks. Especially after finding out what your mom did. You should be glad he still loves her. Still treats her right.”

“It’s just weird to see!”

“Well, think how it feels for her to see us kissing?”

Trunks started to speak and stopped. “How is that relevant?”

“Um, I’m basically her son. You are her son. So she’s all of a sudden seeing her sons kissing? And knows they’re fucking?”

“And knows they have daddy kink?” Trunks said, laughing until he was almost crying.

Goten’s eyes widened and he cracked up too. “Oh shit! I didn’t even think about her…um…realizing…that…oh gods. Your mom knows about our kink,” he managed to say before he devolved into more wild laughter.

They kissed as they recovered and held each other and Trunks gradually slithered between Goten’s legs. He slid his hand up the inside of Goten’s thigh and brushed his fingertips over Goten’s bud. It was wet. Trunks looked and saw that Goten _was_ getting wet for him. He wished that asking his father about this new phenomenon wouldn’t cause Trunks to die of embarrassment.

As Trunks touched him more, Goten said, “Weird, right? You’ll have to be careful not to turn me on too much when we’re out and about. How do chicks deal with getting wet?”

Trunks grinned and said, “I don’t know, if I make you wet enough, we’d have to go home, which sounds like what I would want if I was turning you on out in public anyway.”

“Mmm…Daddy, you’re making me pretty wet right now. You’re so beautiful, Trunks, I can’t believe you’re mine.”

Trunks shivered hearing Goten call him that. He slipped a finger inside his slick mate and groaned, “Fucking hell, Ten, you’re still so tight…and…and oh fuck, it’s crazy to feel how wet I’m making you.”

“You’re not going to try anymore of that pull-out bullshit you did earlier, are you?”

“No, baby, it feels too good to come inside you. And I think you like it too,” Trunks whispered, adding a second finger and reaching for Goten’s p-spot.

Goten writhed beneath him, pulling his legs up and wide, and groaned. Trunks kissed his mate’s mouth more, traced his tongue along Goten’s teeth. Trunks pulled back and murmured, “You okay, baby? Your teeth aren’t getting sharp.”

Goten’s eyes were dazed and his mouth hung open as he panted while Trunks worked deeper inside his mate, finding the spot and brushing it in circles. Goten gasped, “What, Daddy? What about my teeth?”

“They aren’t sharp for me,” Trunks said, pouting a little that his mate wasn’t that turned on.

“I think maybe now that we’re claimed we don’t have that response any more…Kiss me so I can check yours,” Goten said with a little smirk, “And so I can taste you, Daddy.”

Goten’s tongue twined with Trunks’s and raced along the edge of Trunks’s teeth, but there was no coppery snap of blood in his mouth. Goten didn’t pull away. He deepened the kiss, not even stopping to say out the side of his mouth, “Need you now, need you inside me.”

Trunks shifted and he dipped his tip inside his mate, teasing his slippery opening. Goten's eyelids fluttered and he pulled out of the kiss to cry out. Trunks kissed down his neck and Goten breathed, “Yours aren’t sharp either, Daddy. Trust me, I’m plenty turned on. Like, already trying not to blow my load turned on.”

“You can come whenever you want, baby. I’ll just fuck you until you come again,” Trunks purred, relieved that Goten was enjoying him. Hungry for him.

Trunks plunged deeper, but withdrew immediately. Goten’s eyes opened slightly and met Trunks’s with a little smirk and he said, “Don’t tease, Daddy, I want you to fuck me. To fill me.”

“You sure you don’t like a little teasing, baby? The way your ass is twitching makes me think you might like a little.”

Goten wrapped his powerful legs around Trunks’s hips and tried to force Trunks inside him. Trunks resisted and said, “Oh, is that how you want to play, baby?”

Goten snaked his arms around Trunks’s neck and surprised him as he rolled them so he was on top of Trunks. He slammed himself down on Trunks, taking his cock up to the hilt immediately and Trunks wailed with pleasure. 

“That’s right, Daddy, you needed me too. You need me to ride you. I love being able to look down at your body like this. Gods, it’s amazing,” Goten purred, “You’re amazing. I love you, my mate.” Goten smiled, bent, and kissed Trunks deeply, their mouths crashing together.

Trunks cupped Goten’s perfectly formed ass in his hands, gripped the steely muscles that flexed and relaxed as Goten rode him, and spread him wide. “Take me so deep, baby. Gods, I want to come so deep in you. It felt amazing to do that earlier. I’m sorry I hurt you, Ten.”

“It’s okay, Daddy, we didn’t know that would happen,” Goten breathed and Trunks almost lost control as Goten’s face contorted with pleasure. His dark eyes slid closed and his head lolled back, his mouth falling open with a throaty groan. Trunks drove up harder as he held Goten in place to take him. Goten’s cries made him want more, made him want to please his mate more, so Trunks ascended to super Saiyan. 

Goten’s head snapped down, his eyes wide, and he gave a long stuttering cry as he came all over Trunks, hitting his chin and chest, coating him. The delicious clench of his mate’s ass sent Trunks dropping off the edge of his own climax, his balls pulling tight and filling his mate before Trunks roared and gripped Goten’s hips for his final few brutal thrusts, each one making Goten gasp and shiver.

“Oh _fuck,_ Daddy, your cum is fucking insane inside me, what is it even doing? It’s like mini orgasms every time you shoot off,” Goten said, rocking on Trunks, “You can’t masturbate anymore, you just have to fuck me, even if it’s just at the end. Oh _fuck_!” Goten screamed and another impressive load of cum spattered Trunks from belly button to chin.

“Gods, Ten, your ass is just going crazy,” Trunks groaned, slamming up into Goten a few more times.

Goten flopped down into the mess on Trunks, sighing happily. Trunks’s hips kept bobbing up on their own, and every so often Goten would give a little gasp. Their claims rubbed on each other and Trunks’s mark buzzed pleasantly.

“You think I’m really pregnant, Daddy?”

“I have no fucking clue. I wish my dad had told us how we would know. Is it like humans where you just piss on a stick? Do we have to wait to find out? I have so many questions but all I want to do is punch my dad in the face.”

“Why?” Goten asked and propped himself up on his elbows, resting his chin in his hands.

Trunks pulled his chin in to be able to look in Goten’s eyes. “Do you…are you really okay with the fact that he didn’t warn us? I mean…I’m happy, Ten, and I want to be with you forever, but…it scares me to think of being a dad. Of you having to go through labor and stuff.”

“I know it does, but it doesn’t scare _me_ , and that’s what’s important right? Maybe that’s why I just want you to top me so bad even though I’m usually a top. Maybe it’s because the Saiyan blood in our veins knows I’ll be better at being pregnant and giving birth.”

“Do you think I can get pregnant too?” Trunks said, his eyes widening with horror at the thought.

“I don’t know, but we should probably find out before you let me fuck you. I’m not a fan of the whole condom of fire thing.”

“Yeah…for sure,” Trunks said and stared into Goten’s eyes. “I love you, my mate.”

“Me too, Daddy. I think we should go find your dad and Piccolo, find out what’s going on, and maybe…maybe you could stop treating Piccolo the way you have been. Did I hear your mom say you spit in his face? Did you really do that, Trunks?” Goten’s eyes looked so sad that Trunks would have given every penny of his inheritance to go back in time and not make that decision.

Trunks’s eyes slid away. “Yeah. I’m a fucking asshole. I lost my temper at my dad, but he flew away crying and then…then Piccolo grabbed me and I just…I should have spit in my dad’s face, not Piccolo’s.”

“Maybe…maybe just don’t spit in people’s faces?” Goten offered.

Trunks chuckled. “Yeah. Gods, Ten, I don’t deserve you. This is all really fucking with my head.”

“Try to maybe…not…not see it as about you…because it kind of was, but it was also mostly about them and how they figured out their crazy situation, right?”

“I guess. It feels like it’s about me. It feels shitty. Like my mom might’ve just given me away.”

“And you’d have two dads who loved the hell out of you. Maybe Vegeta wouldn’t be such a scary motherfucker if your mom hadn’t…done what she did.”

“Stop defending them!” Trunks said, louder than he'd meant to say it, almost shouted. Goten’s eyes scrunched with hurt and he hopped off Trunks. He went into the bathroom and the lock clicked. Trunks thought of his father’s words: _You can still have rifts and fights and…jealousy…and problems with a mate._

Trunks ran a hand over his face and sighed. He hauled himself out of bed and walked to the bathroom door. He pressed his forehead against it. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not. You’re just sorry that I got off your prick.”

“Ten, I didn’t mean to yell at you. I’m on edge and it’s making me more of a dick than usual. I’m really sorry. I’ll do better. Please? Let’s clean up and maybe go get some more food, how ‘bout?”

There was a snick, but Goten didn’t open the door. Trunks pushed it open warily. Goten frowned, wiping himself down, and his eyes only flitted to Trunks, then away again. Trunks took the washcloth out of Goten’s hand and started cleaning him off using soft swipes and bracing his back with his other hand. Goten was a couple inches taller than Trunks and after a long silent while, he leaned his forehead down against Trunks’s shoulder.

“Don’t be mean to me just because you’re in a bad mood. You didn’t do that when we were just friends.”

“I didn’t know my dad had a secret mate when we were friends.”

“Stop making excuses for being a dick, dude.”

“Fair. I’m really sorry, my mate. My love,” Trunks whispered and tipped Goten’s mouth to his. He kissed Goten gently and held his jaw in one hand while his other found his mark and pressed his fingertips into it.

“It’s okay, Daddy. Just stop being a dick. This is enough dick for me,” Goten whispered, grinning as he cupped Trunks’s cock in his hand.

* * *

Trunks convinced Goten to steer clear of his parents and his newly discovered quasi-parent for the rest of the afternoon. But when evening rolled around, his mother texted him.

_If you can behave, I’d like if we could have at least one dinner as a family, since that’s what we’re celebrating and Piccolo will be too big soon. Can you do that?_

Trunks sighed. “You okay doing the whole family dinner thing?”

“Of course, I love having dinner with your family. Are you? Because it’s better for everyone if you veto if you can’t control yourself.”

“No, I…I got it out of my system,” Trunks said, and stifled the flare of anger in his chest.

He texted his mom and she directed him the appropriate restaurant. Bulma, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Bulla were all already seated when Trunks and Goten arrived at the oceanfront table. They would be able to watch the sunset. Everyone greeted them like nothing had changed, and when they sat down, conversation continued as though none of the adults cared that Trunks and Goten had arrived.

Piccolo said to Bulma, “Dende doesn’t know what kind of timeline we’re looking at thanks to the cross-species issue. He said it’s normal that I feel like shit—“

“Piccy, you’re not supposed to say ‘shit,’” Bulla chirped but stood on her chair to give him a kiss.

“I know, blueberry, but we’re taking a break from the rules while I grow the baby, okay?”

“Okay! Do I get to say shit too while you grow the baby?”

“Sure, why not?” Piccolo said with a smirk.

Vegeta cut in, growling, “It’s infuriating though, he had no idea why…why after all this time. The few theories he floated didn’t make any sense with our experience, but it doesn’t matter. It is what it is.”

Bulma touched Piccolo’s cheek and said, “I think we should all go home, honey, I don’t like the idea of not being there. It’s not like you can go to a doctor if something starts to go wrong.”

Piccolo’s eyes flitted to Trunks and back to Bulma. He said, “I know, but—“

“But nothing. We’ll all go home. It’s hardly an anniversary cruise if neither of my partners are here. We’ll do it again once the baby’s old enough. Or we can just get a villa on the beach once the baby’s hatched. Okay?”

Piccolo’s eyes returned to Trunks and the big man stared at him, clearly waiting. Trunks viscerally felt Goten’s desire for him to be nice. To be pleasant. To be kind.

Trunks flashed on a memory of Piccolo. Trunks had just started flying, but he was bad at it. Unfortunately, he had an ego to rival his father’s. Goten had bragged to him about how fast and high Gohan flew while they were training. Trunks wanted to show off for his friend so he rocketed into the sky, going higher than he ever had, without thinking about oxygen. About how he might panic. He’d only been flying for a few months.

When he finally turned to taunt Goten, he was short of breath and the height was absolutely dizzying. His chi bottomed out and he plummeted toward the Earth, but before he’d even hit terminal velocity, Piccolo caught him, took him to the ground, ruffled his hair, and went away. Or did he? Now Trunks couldn’t remember. All his memories of Piccolo were like that. The man would pop in and fix something, then disappear, but Trunks could see now that maybe he’d never disappeared at all, Trunks just hadn’t bothered to remember anything but the moment that was relevant to Trunks.

Trunks swallowed hard and said, still looking at Piccolo. “Yeah, I think we should all go, that way we can help with Bulla and if Piccolo needs anything while Dad’s training or whatever. It’s no big deal, right, Ten?”

“Nope, I’d feel better if we were all together anyway. I feel kind of…nesty.”

“Good lord, boy, you must be pregnant,” Vegeta said with a snort of laughter. Piccolo smirked. He and Vegeta bumped shoulders affectionately.

Goten sighed happily and looked at Trunks as he said, “Yeah, I hope so.”

Piccolo laughed too and said, “Sorry I’m suddenly fertile, you guys, I really didn’t mean to ruin your celebratory mating cruise.”

Goten said, “Oh, hey, Piccolo, we could pick out baby stuff together!”

Piccolo turned and looked Vegeta up and down with a little half smile. He turned back to Goten, chuckling, and said, “You don’t want to go baby shopping with Vegeta?”

The whole table laughed at that and Bulla added merrily, “Nobody likes shopping with Daddy!”

Bulma said, “The girl speaks truth.”

“Good gods, is no one in my own family sympathetic to me?” Vegeta said, but he smirked.

Trunks noticed the way his father’s arm dipped under the table, clearly holding Piccolo’s thigh, possibly more. After the way Trunks had acted with Goten earlier, Trunks tried to see Vegeta’s behavior for what it was: an irrepressible urge to touch his mate. To care for him. To feel connected to him. Piccolo leaned on his elbow toward Vegeta. Vegeta’s other hand pressed low on Piccolo’s abdomen. 

Vegeta’s stress the night before about accidentally becoming a father made sense to Trunks now. They mirrored Trunks’s own complicated feelings about Goten being pregnant, a chimera of joy and fear. Trunks tried to imagine years upon years of disappointment. Had they had miscarriages? Or whatever the egg equivalent was? Trunks doubted it just because the pregnancy itself didn’t seem to worry either Piccolo or Vegeta and Trunks assumed if there had been miscarriages, they would both be more on edge.

Goten and Bulma and Bulla were having a lively discussion about where the nurseries would go. Trunks pretended to pay attention, but he surreptitiously watched his father and Piccolo. His fathers. He tried to make his mind think it, wished it was as effortless as the shift to thinking of Goten as his mate had been. His fathers were obviously having a private conversation telepathically. Maybe even a dirty conversation: Vegeta’s cheeks flushed and his eyelids lowered slowly. Piccolo leaned, turning to whisper in Vegeta’s ear, and Vegeta’s little smirk turned into a bigger lopsided grin and he canted his head to let Piccolo access his ear more easily with their height disparity.

“Trunks?”

Trunks snapped back to the conversation he was pretending to be a part of and said, “Sorry, I zoned out, what, Mom?”

“I asked what you think about setting up the south wing as an apartment for you and Goten and the baby? We’ll have to talk to Goku and ChiChi, of course, and make sure it’s okay with them.”

Trunks felt the color drain from his face. “Goten’s _mine_ ,” Trunks growled in a voice he didn’t even recognize.

Bulma clearly recognized it because she very calmly said, “That’s right, sweetie, Goten is yours. He’s yours. But we should still talk to his parents, right?”

Trunks shook his head and said, “Yeah. Yeah, of course. Sorry. Man. Saiyan blood is some weird shit.”

“Does Trunks get to say ‘shit’ while you grow the baby, Piccy?” Bulla said and clambered into his lap.

Piccolo winced as Bulla hit his belly. Trunks knew all too well about her sharp little elbows. Piccolo kissed the top of her head and said, “Trunks is gonna be a daddy too, so he can say whatever he wants,” Piccolo let the air hang still for a long beat and continued, “But he should maybe start trying to be more mindful of things he says. Being a father can be thankless.”

“Is it thankless for you?” Trunks said, unable to help himself.

“No. Still the best choice I ever made,” Piccolo said, without even the slightest hesitation. His eyes held Trunks’s ruthlessly now. Trunks’s eyes started to burn and he realized with horror both that he was going to cry and that the reason Piccolo avoided his eyes earlier in the day wasn’t cowardice or shame—it was this. This aching sadness that roared up the back of Trunks’s throat for all the years he’d been ignoring someone who likely cared about him more than his sperm-father ever had.

Yet when Trunks’s eyes shifted to Vegeta, Vegeta looked teary too. Maybe his mother was right, maybe what she’d done broke Vegeta. Bulla migrated into Vegeta’s lap and he absently kissed her temple, still staring Trunks down. Trunks never won stare-downs with Vegeta. Trunks didn’t think a corpse would win a stare-down with Vegeta.

“You got Trunksy and me and now baby, Piccy. Maybe it’s not thankless because you got to have royal Saiyan babies. Maybe we’re better than other babies? Will Ten-Ten get to have Trunks’s royal Saiyan baby?”

Vegeta smirked and laughed. He squeezed Bulla in a tight hug. “You are right, princess, royal blood makes for children we can be proud of, children we have high expectations for.”

“Like how I’m gonna go super Saiyan Blue, right Daddy?”

“Damn right, princess,” Vegeta said, but his eyes still held Trunks’s. Trunks’s gaze finally dodged away. Message received. Trunks didn’t know if his father’s “high expectations” were to blame for his harsh treatment of Trunks or the stuff with Bulma, or maybe just bitterness over never conceiving with his mate until this late date, but Trunks felt something untwist inside his chest at his father’s words. That was as close as Vegeta could get to an apology.

“I think the south wing would be great, Mom. Thanks for letting us do that. I know it’s…a lot.”

“I signed up for a lot many years ago, sweetie. I’m glad you two are happy, but you’ve got a rough road ahead of you, not least because ChiChi is going to flip. She is definitely homophobic, so that’ll be a shocker.”

“See, told you, Vegeta!” Goten said, pointing a finger at Vegeta.

“Put that hand down, pup, or I’ll take it off,” Vegeta snarled, but barely, he was suppressing a smile, “How am I supposed to know what your insane human mother feels about cocks and where they get put? This planet still baffles me.”

“What’s cock?” Bulla asked.

“Not a Bulla word, that’s what,” Bulma said quickly before either Vegeta or Piccolo could field that one.

“Not ever?” Bulla said, her eyes filling with tears. “When do I get to say ‘cock?’”

Piccolo tried to stifle his laughter with a big hand over his mouth, but his eyes met Vegeta’s and they both erupted. Bulma chided them, but they hooted and Goten started giggling too, and then Trunks was lost. He laughed with his mate at his ridiculous baby sister and Goten draped his arm over Trunks’s shoulder, his fingers brushing their mark. For the first time outside of sex, Trunks felt only pleasure, not the need for comfort or relief from stress. It just felt nice to be with his mate, touching his mate, laughing with his mate and his family. Trunks wished he could undo the hurt he’d done earlier to his mate and to Piccolo, even to his father. Since he couldn't change the past (he laughed at the realization that his future self had done just that), he needed to be a better mate moving forward, a better son too.


	8. Daddy

When Goten wanted to take a nap after a morning of swimming and fucking on their fourth day on the cruise, Trunks saw it as an opportunity to talk to his father. He kissed Goten a final time and sought out his father’s chi. He found it, but Vegeta was with Piccolo. 

Trunks, despite his resolution to be less of an asshole to Piccolo, still found himself extremely uncomfortable around the big, quiet man. Trunks’s two fathers were leaning on the railing, looking out over the turquoise blue sea, talking. Trunks, unable to help his curiosity, suppressed his chi and skulked nearby, trying to blend in with the other people, depending on his Saiyan hearing to catch what they said.

“Vegeta, there’s no point in leaving yet. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I don’t think it’s going to stick. I should be much more pregnant than this by now. I haven’t grown at all.”

“But you still…feel…pregnant?” Vegeta said, his voice unsteady.

Piccolo sighed and he leaned against Vegeta more. Vegeta turned into his arm a little. Trunks saw the brief kiss he brushed on Piccolo’s shoulder. Piccolo said, “My love, you need to be realistic. I don’t…I don’t want you to think this is going to happen. I wish we’d never gotten our hopes up. We should’ve known that it wouldn’t really happen.”

“How can you say that, _minaiya_?” Vegeta croaked.

“Baby, we’ve failed for twenty fucking years. We’re not going to get lucky all of a sudden. Let’s enjoy Bulla, and soon our grand baby, but you need to let this go. Let’s enjoy our cruise with Bulma. I don’t know what the miscarriage will look like, and Dende didn’t either, but he’s as pessimistic as I am with how I look at this phase. Please, just…just…I don’t want to make you sad.”

“ _You_ aren’t making me sad, _minaiya_ , the universe is. I can’t believe those two got knocked up practically by eating ass and nothing we’ve done has managed for two fucking decades. It feels…unfair.”

“What isn’t, baby? Just be happy for them. Goten seems delighted, and Trunks too, when he isn’t panicking about it or freaking out about me.”

“He’ll come around. He’s got a good heart, even if he can be a fucking prat.”

“He’s not a prat, you shit.”

“Well, he does a convincing impression sometimes.”

“Leave him alone, Vegeta. It’s not like you were a stellar example of not being a complete prick.”

Vegeta laughed and tipped Piccolo down to kiss him. Trunks watched and saw how relaxed and happy they both looked in that moment. Their hands drifted onto each other’s marks. Piccolo broke the kiss, bumping their foreheads together.

Vegeta whispered, “Is he still avoiding you?”

“He’ll avoid me the rest of his mortal life, Vegeta.”

“I’m sorry, _minaiya_. Your poor heart.”

Piccolo shrugged. “I’m used to it at this point. I prefer scrupulous skittering away to the hateful looks he was giving me the first day,” Piccolo said, his voice hitching.

Trunks backed away until he heard, “Trunks Godsdamn Briefs, are you fucking eavesdropping on your fathers?” and spun to find his mother’s livid face right in his. He leaned backward, a hot blush burning up his neck to his cheeks.

“I…No…Not exactly…I just…I need to talk to Dad. Vegeta. Not. Not Piccolo.”

Bulma’s reprimand had caused his chi to come up and Vegeta and Piccolo turned. They took him in with Bulma in his face and he gave a weak wave.

Trunks heard Piccolo murmur, “Let’s just enjoy the cruise, Vegeta. We aren’t going to have to leave early. Maybe it will help us…forget.” He pressed his hand against the top curve of Vegeta’s ass and strutted over to Bulma.

“He’s all yours, Trunks,” Piccolo said, taking Bulma’s hand. He looked down at her and said, “You too embarrassed to swim with a man with a slight paunch?”

“Honey, no one but you could possibly think of your adorable, slightly rounded eight-pack as a paunch,” Bulma said and they left Trunks who cringed internally that his mother was in another minuscule black bikini that made heads turn after her, especially as Piccolo tossed off his shirt, leaving him in a fairly fitted pair of swim trunks, giving the ladies (and the gay guys) quite a show. Piccolo effortlessly put her up on his shoulders and hopped into the pool, making her giggle before she went under.

Vegeta grumbled, “You needed to talk to me badly enough to eavesdrop _again_? It’s unbecoming, Trunks.”

“Uh…yeah. If you guys weren’t so secretive, I wouldn’t be quite so…eager…to eavesdrop.”

“If there is something you would like to know, by all means, ask. Our days of secrecy are over, I assure you. Perhaps you’d like to know what positions we like? How often? Maybe the logistics with that tall motherfucker? Or what? What other private matters would you like me to tell you about?”

“I…I just heard him talking about the baby and I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m really sorry, Dad. I can’t imagine.”

Vegeta’s jaw dropped and his eyes went wide and glassy. He snapped his mouth closed and swallowed hard. “And I’m glad you can’t imagine. I hope you never experience anything of the kind. How is Goten feeling?”

“Well…actually that’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you. How…how will we even know if he’s pregnant? Do we need to get a pregnancy test or—“

“Doesn’t he know?” Vegeta asked, cocking his head to the side, concern creasing his brow.

“He thinks he is, but surely there must be more to it than that, right?”

Vegeta shook his head. “No. Saiyans just know.”

Trunks felt a flush creep up his cheeks and he said, “Um, can I ask an embarrassing question?”

“Trunks,” Vegeta said with a heavy sigh, “I don’t have a lot to go on with our heritage. I was very young when my people were eradicated. You don’t need to be embarrassed, but I can’t guarantee I’ll even know the answer.”

Trunks avoided Vegeta’s eyes as he muttered, “Goten…Goten is…um…different…since we mated. Is that…normal?”

“Different how?” Vegeta asked.

“He, um, he…he lubricates,” Trunk said in a whisper that would hopefully be inaudible to the humans in the area.

“Ah, yes. That’s normal when a Saiyan is fertile, and hangs around while they’re pregnant, sometimes after. Some Saiyans have that more than others. Sorry. I should have warned you about that too. I don’t think it was the mating mark so much as once you’d slept with him, his body would have moved into a fertile period.”

“Um…can…can I get pregnant too?”

“Not while he’s pregnant, no. At least, I shouldn’t think so, but you’re a hybrid. I don’t know what that will mean for your own fertile periods,” Vegeta said, crossing his arms tightly. He had no shirt on, and like Trunks’s mother, Vegeta in a swimsuit attracted a lot of attention. One woman had actually fallen out of her chair. Vegeta, unlike Bulma, was completely oblivious. Trunks realized with pride that people were ogling him too. He was just as jacked as his father, but taller.

“But…um…it’s probably…safe?”

“What’s safe?” Vegeta asked.

“Gods, Dad, do I have to spell everything out?”

“When you’re basically gibbering, yes.”

Trunks dropped his voice again and said, “Like, he won’t get me pregnant if he, um, if he tops me?”

Vegeta raised his eyebrows. “No, you should be okay as long as he’s pregnant. But you said he didn’t know, so unless you want to be pregnant, I’d be wary, boy.”

“I wish there was some way to be sure.”

“Have you asked him how he feels?”

“I mean, he _wants_ to be pregnant, so it’s hard to tell.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes and said, “There is a way to tell, but you’re incapable, apparently. Where is he?”

“Napping.”

“Come see me when he’s up.”

“Why?”

Vegeta ran a hand down his face. “I can smell it, boy. The same way I know way more about fucking everyone on this planet than I want to know. You’re all indiscriminate with your scents.”

Trunks was suddenly extremely self-conscious, sniffing at his pits. He thought he smelled fine. He knew he had a better sense of smell than humans, but did his father have an even keener sense of smell? “Dad?”

“Yes,” Vegeta said and Trunks knew Vegeta’s patience was wearing thin.

“Is Piccolo going to be okay? Did you smell he was pregnant?”

“I don’t know. And yes. But he knew. We both knew.” Vegeta sighed again and said, “Find me when Goten’s up.” Vegeta launched off the side of the ship, causing a lot of screaming as people watched him plummet into the water. Several hundred yards from the ship, he surfaced, scrubbing his hands over his face. Trunks could almost feel his father’s anguish, like Vegeta had gone out to sea to cry.

* * *

Vegeta confirmed Goten’s pregnancy that evening. Days passed and Piccolo continued not to grow. He seemed to take it in stride while Trunks watched his father deteriorate daily. Vegeta looked awful. Trunks had never seen his father disheveled or slumped or with bags under his eyes, but now he looked like he’d been in a gulag, not on a cruise.

Despite Vegeta and Bulma’s admonition against eavesdropping, now that Trunks felt like a whole side of his life had been kept from him, he couldn’t help himself. He and Goten were swimming with Bulla on the eighth day. Beside the pool, Bulma reclined in between Vegeta’s legs on a chaise. Piccolo sat next to them, his lounger so close that his fingers twined with Vegeta’s where they had their arms slung behind their heads, dark sunglasses hiding their eyes.

Goten said, “Are you snooping again, Daddy?”

“Trunksy isn’t your daddy, Ten-Ten, that’s silly!” Bulla said and used Goten’s hair for hand-holds to pull up until she stood unsteadily on the crown of his head. “A Vegeta is on top of a Son, as it should be, mwahahaha!” Bulla said in her best impression of Vegeta. She threw her head back with maniacal cackling and held her arms akimbo.

Goten covered his mouth with his hand to hide his laughter. Trunks surreptitiously groped him underwater. But Trunks’s attention was on the three adults. Bulma’s voice carried. She never made any effort at discretion. It previously drove Vegeta crazy, but now that the whole polyamorous cat was out of the bag, he seemed more at ease with their relationship. Vegeta no longer seemed to resent her public displays of affection either. Trunks wondered if he’d felt treacherous before, showing affection to Bulma but not to Piccolo. 

Trunks couldn’t even imagine not being able to constantly paw at his mate. He loved touching Goten. Needed to touch Goten. Vegeta’s words struck him again: _Like a compulsion. A physical need. A biological imperative_. No wonder Vegeta had been crabby the last fifteen years. Trunks couldn’t contemplate not touching Goten every time he wanted to touch Goten.

“Daddy, stop, just let them talk without being creepy.”

“I want to know what’s going on with Piccolo.”

“Then ask Piccolo,” Goten said, and it sounded completely reasonable, but Trunks hesitated.

Bulma’s voice drifted to Trunks as she addressed Vegeta, “Honey, you need to get some rest, you staying up all night freaking out is not going to change Piccolo’s condition.”

“We need to find someone to look at him, it can’t be healthy to have the miscarriage just…stay put,” Vegeta grumbled. “But he still smells deliciously pregnant—“

“You’re not fucking acting like I smell delicious, Vegeta. You’re being ridiculously stingy with your cock for an anniversary cruise.”

“ _Minaiya_ , I wasn’t _stingy_ last night. I can’t help that I’m worried about you—“

“Then mate like a fucking Namek, Vegeta! Gods. Maybe that’s why I’m not growing!”

“Don’t blame me!” Vegeta bit out.

“Do you blame me?” Piccolo snarled.

“Of course not!” Vegeta hissed.

“Guys, settle down,” Bulma said, “Why don’t you go back to the room? Last night clearly didn’t even take the edge off. I’ll keep an eye on Bulla in case the boys get distracted by their dicks again.”

Trunks’s cheeks flamed. Goten snickered and said, “Daddy your cheeks are fucking fuchsia.”

“Naughty word, Ten-Ten!” Bulla cried and leapt into the pool, darting underwater like a seal. She startled swimmers all over the pool before she resurfaced by launching onto Goten’s back.

Trunks worked up his nerve and said, “Okay. I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna go talk to Piccolo. But then…then can we go to the room for a bit?” He met Goten’s eyes, pleased to find them as hungry as Trunks felt.

Goten leaned and gave him a soft kiss. He smiled and said, “Yeah, of course, Daddy. Good luck.”

Trunks hopped out of the pool, whipped his hair as dry as he could. It had gotten long. Vanity made him run a hand through it and enjoy the eyes that followed his body as he strode over to Piccolo.

Piccolo raised a skeptical eyebrow as Trunk plopped down next to him. “Hey, um, Piccolo, can I…can I talk with you at some point? Like, just us? It doesn’t have to be right now, just whenever you’re not in the middle of something.”

Piccolo laughed and said, “We’re on a cruise, Trunks, I’m never busy. Come on, we can walk around the deck. My stomach’s all messed up again.”

Vegeta started to slither out from under Bulma. Piccolo waved him back down. Vegeta growled and said, “Boy, I swear if you—“

“Shut up, Vegeta. Stay with Bulma and Bulla. Keep an eye on Goten so Trunks doesn’t get all mate-crazy,” Piccolo said.

“Mate-crazy?” Trunks asked as Piccolo bent to kiss Bulma and then Vegeta.

“Oh, sometimes when you’re away from your mate, if you start to worry they’re in danger, it can make you…stressed. Even when you know rationally they’re not in any danger,” Piccolo said, stretching his back after he stood back up. It made him seem even more towering.

Trunks matched Piccolo’s pace as they set off and his quasi-father’s long, loping strides forced Trunks to walk at a decent clip. 

Piccolo said, once they were out of Vegeta’s earshot, “What’s up, kid?”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me, Piccolo? Like…what would you want me to call you, if my mom and dad hadn’t fucked this up for us?”

Piccolo looked surprised by the question and he glanced down at Trunks, his eyes hidden by his dark sunglasses, but his brow crumpled. “You used to call me ‘Daddy.’ I guess you were about three and a half when your mom started sending you to pre-school and said that it was no longer a good idea because it would confuse you and your peers. So we transitioned you to calling Vegeta ‘Daddy.’” Piccolo smirked and said, “And now I guess Goten calls _you_ ‘Daddy.’”

“Gods, did she tell everyone!?” Trunks said, thrusting his hands into his hair as his cheeks caught fire for the millionth time that cruise.

Piccolo nudged Trunks with his elbow and laughed. He said, “Oh, c’mon, Trunks, we have to give you shit about that. It’s so completely predictable that you’d have daddy kink.”

“Ack! Can we not talk about _that_?!”

“Sure. What do you want to talk about?” Piccolo said, another snort of laughter escaping him.

“I’m sorry they…they took me from you like that.”

“You don’t remember at all, do you?” Piccolo said and even sunglasses didn’t hide how sad Piccolo’s eyes were now, a deep frown pulling his whole faced down.

“No. I have tons of memories of you, but my mom was right, I kinda just thought of you as…a nanny, or something. I didn’t understand. I…I always wished my dad, or even my mom, would spend more time with me. I think that’s why I was, um, a little hostile, at times.”

“Yeah, you definitely were. Vegeta just…couldn’t. Bulma fucking broke him. It’s a wonder he ever forgave her because, gods, that man can hold a grudge. How he forgave me is even more shocking.”

“Forgave you? For what?”

“For choosing you,” Piccolo said, his face completely open, as if this was the most obvious answer in the world.

Trunks felt his chest constrict, like all his ribs were suddenly too small and getting smaller. He looked up at Piccolo, but Piccolo’s eyes were far away. “Why did you do that, Piccolo? How? I can’t imagine leaving Goten for anything.”

Piccolo smiled at him and said, “It was no contest. You wait, you’re going to see your baby’s little face, and your heart will explode into a new ferocious thing, and you’ll never be the same again. You’ll never be whole again, because that little person will own your heart. I didn’t even have to think when he said he wouldn’t stay. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t fucking awful to be away from him. Every day, every minute, I missed him, but you were my solace. Bulma and I managed to get along after…after a bit, but I was so fucking pissed at her. If she had just been upfront, I don’t think Vegeta would have left. But your mom, man, when she wants something, she fucking gets it at any cost.”

“Do you…do you really love her? Even after that?”

“Yeah, I can’t help it, even though she pisses me off as much as Vegeta. She knew she fucked up, but she wasn’t backing down about you. I wasn’t the only one who fell in love the day you were born,” Piccolo said and grinned broadly.

“Why didn’t my fucking biological father fall in love with me?” Trunks said and to his horror, his voice cracked as tears filled his eyes.

“Oh, Trunks,” Piccolo said and stopped to pull Trunks into a hug. Trunks froze, but then let himself hug Piccolo back, and he realized there was a familiarity to it. Piccolo’s smell, when Trunks buried his face in his broad green chest, was comforting on a deep, animal level. “He did, Trunks. He really did. But you know how Vegeta’s fucking ego is, he just lost it at Bulma, just fucking lost it. Then he blamed her for stealing not just you, but me, his mate, too, and it broke him. Vegeta was a monster until after Cell. You can ask your future self the next time he comes to give us shitty news,” Piccolo said with a rumbling laugh.

“Only until after Cell?” Trunks asked, smirking.

“Hey, don’t malign my mate,” Piccolo said, and there was a dark note of menace in his voice.

“Stand down, he’s my dad, I have to pick on him a little,” Trunks said, holding up his hands in surrender as they started to walk again. “What do you think is going on with your body? You seem okay, but my dad—“

Piccolo cut him off, “Can I ask you a favor?”

Trunks, startled, stammered, “Oh, uh, yeah, sure.”

“Don’t call him that. Just say Vegeta,” Piccolo said, looking ahead, so Trunks could see his eyes narrow even with his dark glasses.

Trunks stopped dead. “Fuck, I’m so sorry…I’m sorry, Piccolo.”

“Don’t be. Of course you think of him like that. It just…You know what, never mind. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything,” Piccolo said, waving his hand for them to keep walking.

“No, you don’t need to be sorry. You never answered me, though, what…what do you want me to call you? I, um, I can’t call you ‘Daddy,’ for obvious reasons,” Trunks said with a snicker.

“Piccolo is fine, Trunks. He’s just…” Piccolo sighed. “When you say ‘my dad,’ it just…it just reminds me that I’m not. But it’s…it’s okay. I’m fine.” Piccolo swallowed hard, adjusted his sunglasses, and kept walking. Trunks wondered if he’d made Piccolo cry again.

“Sorry that you got screwed in all this. I’m sorry I never put it together. But…thank you. For being there. For helping my mom, even though she lied,” Trunks said.

“I don’t blame Bulma for keeping you. Fuck, I don’t think I could give my baby away for anything.”

“I know. You seem like you’re handling…the uncertainty…better than Vegeta,” Trunks said.

Piccolo laughed and said, “I handle literally everything better than Vegeta.”

Trunks chuckled and said, “Yeah, hard agree on that, but…you know. He looks like shit. What’s going on? Can…can I ask how…um…how it works? Like…how do you know stuff isn’t right?”

Piccolo raised an eyebrow at him. “You really should stop eavesdropping. I told him we should only have serious discussions telepathically. But it wears him out and he’s too proud to admit it.”

“Oh, I was wondering about that when you were whispering to him at dinner,” Trunks said, glancing up at Piccolo.

Piccolo’s little smirk put Trunks more at ease. “That was just for…effect. Surely you can appreciate that saying something right up against your mate’s ear is…enjoyable.”

“Yeah, I can. He looked like he enjoyed it. Which is rare when he isn’t beating the shit out of someone.”

Piccolo nodded, still smirking. “Yeah, there’s only two things that Vegeta really enjoys. Anyway, Nameks are normally only pregnant eight to ten days. We’re in uncharted territory since he’s Saiyan. I should be fucking huge and about to pop right now, but I’m not. Even though I’m nauseous enough that it seems like I should be full of a big-ass egg. But…” Piccolo gestured to his still very washboard abs. Trunks could tell, because Trunks knew how cut Piccolo was, now he just looked more swoll. But not pregnant. Any egg that came out of him now would be tiny.

“So, you just don’t know what’s going on?”

“I have my suspicions. I think it’s just…dead. And that when I would normally go into labor, it’ll come out and be…dead. That’s why it’s not growing.”

Trunks grabbed Piccolo’s arm and stopped him. Turned them to face each other. He said, “Can I touch your stomach?”

“What?” Piccolo said, his eyes widening enough that it was visible even with his sunglasses and his lip hitched up with confusion.

“Can I?”

“Sure?”

Trunks spread his hands on Piccolo’s belly, drawing more than a few curious stares. Trunks closed his eyes and concentrated. Trunks had been sensing chi since he was a baby, and he was amazing at it. He was better than Goku, even. Nobody thought much of it since Trunks wasn’t as strong as Gohan or as fierce as his father or as big as Goten. This was one thing Trunks _knew_ he did better than everyone. But especially his father, well, his sperm-father.

It took a few minutes to find it, because it was tiny, but it was like Goten’s belly. Trunks, before his father had affirmed Goten’s pregnancy via olfaction, had been certain that he felt their baby’s miniature life force. Goten didn’t fully believe it because he couldn’t feel it. Goten was awful at subtle chi stuff.

Trunks stopped touching Piccolo and grinned up at him. “It’s not dead, it’s just itty bitty! Maybe Saiyan-Namek hybrids just cook longer.”

“No, kid, that is some microscopic chi. There’s no way that it’s viable. I’ve felt it too. Where do you think you got your chi skills from?” Piccolo said with a lopsided smile.

Warmth spread through Trunks’s chest that Piccolo was the reason for something Trunks was so proud of—it made him feel more kinship toward Piccolo. He said, “But it’s exactly how my baby with Goten feels right now. Like almost exactly the same strength.”

“Fuck, don’t tell Vegeta that. He’s already grasping at straws to keep playing make-believe.”

“Don’t you want the baby…Dad?” Trunks tried it out. He shook his head. “Sorry, is that…is that weird?”

Piccolo’s eyebrows collapsed together. He took several deep breaths. “No, just…nostalgic…Of course I want the baby, but I’m realistic. There’s no way I got pregnant and will carry to term after twenty-years of infertility. It’s weak now, it just hasn’t…fuck…it hasn’t died yet. But it will.” Piccolo held his mouth in his hand. 

“I think you’re wrong,” Trunks said.

“Yeah, well, you don’t have twenty years of disappointment behind you, kid.”

“Vegeta said you two were…at peace.”

“I am. I have been. He’s full of shit. He’s never been at peace a day in his life. Gods. Do you even know what being mated to Vegeta is like?”

Trunks furrowed his brow and offered, “Um, intense and unpredictable, but mostly crabby? Was he like that before? Before my mom kept me?”

Piccolo laughed hard. They had almost completed a circuit of the huge ship. Trunks could see Goten and Bulla were still playing happily in the pool. Vegeta and Bulma were sitting side by side, whether arguing or just talking, it was impossible to say with those two. 

“Vegeta’s always been fucking intense, you’re spot on there. What Bulma did changed him, combined with the Saiyan impulse to breed and failing, and he hated how sad I was. Just hated it. Hates it. Vegeta doesn’t know what to do with sadness. You can’t fight sadness or beat the shit out of it, or even let it go that way. So yes, in some ways he got crabbier. Outwardly. Inwardly, he’s a squishy mess. But he is the most predictable creature I’ve ever met. Vegeta has never once surprised me,” Piccolo said, then a huge smile spread on his face and he continued, “Well, once…” Piccolo snickered.

Trunks facepalmed and said, “Oh gods, does it have anything to do with why he gave me a box of _extra-large_ condoms?”

Piccolo guffawed. “He’s just so little. I didn’t see _that_ coming.”

“Gods…Dad…I don’t want to know about my sperm donor’s dick.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to know about my son’s daddy kink. Consider us even,” Piccolo said, chortling more.

Trunks’s throat tightened hearing Piccolo call him that so casually. It was clear that Piccolo didn’t even realize what he’d said, that in his mind, Trunks truly was his son, no matter what Trunks’s genetic makeup was. Trunks felt another warm, fuzzy bloom of companionship. Trunks thought about how long he had wanted a father who loved him, who approved of him…who _wanted_ him as a son. Maybe he’d had that father all along and had just been too blind to see.


	9. Safety

Piccolo and Trunks reached the rest of Trunks’s bizarre family and Bulma smiled. “You boys have a good stroll?”

“Yeah, we did,” Piccolo said and picked her up, tossed her in the air, and said, “You want to come swim with me, pretty lady?” Maybe all three of his parents had been forced to hide their affection for each other because of his mother’s decision to keep him in the dark.

“Sure, honey,” she said and kissed him lightly as he lowered her back to the ground. Trunks had shifted from being annoyed at his mother’s ridiculously scanty bikinis to just wanting to shout at people to stop ogling his mom.

Trunks flopped onto his mother’s chaise, enjoying the view of Goten teaching Bulla to dive, alarming people who assumed she was a normal two-year-old. The second time she shimmied up Goten’s entire body like a little baby chimpanzee, people actually screamed. They screamed even louder when Bulla tossed Goten into the pool like a rag doll.

Vegeta sat in the chair next to Trunks and growled, “Were you polite to him?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I was a dick before. It was good to talk to him. Really good.”

“I’m glad you’re behaving.”

“Dad…”

“What?” Vegeta’s question sounded absent, like he wasn’t really listening. Trunks followed his gaze. He was watching Piccolo, scanning the surrounding area, and then staring at Piccolo more. Trunks wondered if Piccolo had dealt with a fair amount of Vegeta going “mate-crazy.” Vegeta’s baseline level of crazy probably meant his “mate-crazy” was pretty spectacular.

“Why didn’t you let Piccolo stay ‘Daddy?’”

Vegeta chuckled and said, “I had to make room for Goten.”

Trunks hid his face in his hands. “Fucking hell, does everyone know?”

“How could we not? He calls you ‘Daddy’ all the time,” Vegeta said, barely able to speak he was laughing so hard. “I’ll try not to read too much into that. I guess maybe you long to be Kakarot? A shit-for-brains, third-class upstart?”

“Dad! Don’t ruin my kink for me!”

Vegeta snickered more. “Very well. I caved to your fucking mother, Trunks, that’s why I’ve done fucking everything wrong. She felt it would not be worth the talk at school if you were calling Piccolo your father.”

“But…wasn’t he taking me to school?”

“Yes, and everyone thought what you thought, that he was your nanny,” Vegeta snarled.

“That wasn’t fair to him.”

“No shit, boy. I’ve regretted kowtowing to her for years.”

“Do you care if I call him ‘Dad?’”

“No, of course not, he’s much more a father to you than I have been,” Vegeta said and Trunks understood how much Vegeta loved Piccolo in that moment because he looked delighted by Trunks’s question, but also tried to hide it, like he was afraid he would fuck it up.

“What should I call you?” Trunks asked.

“Well…when I first came back, you called me ‘Papa.’ You’ll have to figure something out for your own baby, but the solution we arrived at before caving to Bulma was Daddy and Papa.”

“Can I do that? Can I call you Papa?”

“As you wish. If it’s alright with him, of course,” Vegeta said and shifted to have a better view of Piccolo, who was back-floating with Bulla leaping back and forth over him like a little dolphin.

Trunks thought Vegeta looked ready to leap and catch Bulla to prevent her hitting Piccolo’s torso. It made Trunks feel a weird chimera of amusement that Vegeta thought Piccolo couldn’t catch Bulla on his own and strange affection at seeing Vegeta so protective of his mate. Trying to think of Piccolo as Trunks’s father helped Trunks be less angry with Vegeta for a lifetime of abrasive “parenting.”

Bulma and Goten were talking, which made Trunks nervous. He returned his attention to his…Papa. Trunks said, “Your baby is okay, Papa. I felt it.”

“Don’t feed me false hope, Trunks. You have no idea what suffering is until you’ve been a barren Saiyan.”

“You’re not barren,” Trunks said, wounded that his father was once again back to dismissing his existence. One of his fathers.

“It doesn’t count if it’s not begat on your mate. Not in the same…biological way. I’m not trying to make you feel bad, I’m trying to make you understand my misery. I love you and I love Bulla, but Saiyan blood is…demanding. It wants a baby with my _mate_. And it’s never gotten it. And it’s loud. And angry. And mean.”

“Is that why you’re that way?” Trunks asked, feeling brave.

Vegeta’s head turned ominously in Trunks’s direction, his dark glasses hiding his eyes, not that it mattered, Vegeta’s eyes were unreadable. The smirk appeared. “Pushing your luck today, aren’t you, boy? Don’t forget that I’m stronger than him, even if he tried to save you from an ass-kicking that you so righteously deserve.”

“I just think…I think you should try to relax and enjoy your anniversary with…Dad…and Mom. He’s okay. Can’t you be okay, since he’s okay? Why don’t you let him have a good time? Even if you don’t _want_ to have a good time, you should. Because…Dad…can’t enjoy himself when you’re being a hot mess.”

Vegeta harumphed. He put his arms behind his head. A woman next to him primped and tried to sprawl out to gain Vegeta’s attention. When that failed, she said, “You look like you work out, don't you, sugar?” Trunks supposed that his family was probably the sexiest thing on the whole cruise ship. Trunks tried to stifle his laughter when Vegeta realized she was talking to him.

Vegeta physically cringed away and snarled, “Are you addressing me?”

“I’m trying to talk to you, yeah,” she said and giggled. She was only a little older than Trunks. He wondered what the girl would say if she knew that Vegeta was over twice her age and had a tail scar. 

“Well, don’t. Fucking humans,” Vegeta snapped.

She gaped in confusion. She met Trunks’s eyes and he turned to the pool and called, “Ten, baby, you want to go back to our suite?”

Piccolo seemed to have a sixth sense for people hitting on his mate, because he hopped out of the pool, terrifying with his size and musculature and grace, and swaggered over to Vegeta. He straddled Vegeta’s chaise and said, “Come swim with me, my love.”

“Of course, _minaiya._ One of them spoke to me!” Vegeta grumbled indignantly and hopped up, lithely strolling next to Piccolo. Vegeta spread his hand on Piccolo’s lower back, his fingers grazing the visible scar where Piccolo’s swimsuit had slipped lower on his hips from the weight of the water. 

“Gods, Vegeta, of course they speak to you. Look at you,” Piccolo said, smiling.

Vegeta smirked up at him and swatted his ass. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“Got me somewhere last night, fucking finally,” Piccolo murmured and folded himself down to kiss Vegeta’s neck.

Trunks found he still wasn’t mentally prepared for that type of exchange between his two fathers. It bothered him less after speaking with Piccolo, but it was jarring after years of being terrified Vegeta would find out Trunks liked guys. Seeing Vegeta kiss Trunks’s mother in public was a rare enough sight, but this, seeing Vegeta flirt and kiss and touch another man, but especially Piccolo, who Trunks had also never thought of as a sexual being, was insane. It confirmed Trunks’s theory that if Vegeta wasn’t allowed to touch Piccolo, he wasn’t willing to touch Bulma. This cruise was proving to be a pretty constant mindfuck.

Goten straddled Trunks’s lap, distracting him from his horrified fascination with the newly revealed relationship between Vegeta and Piccolo. Trunks kissed him and said, “Hey, baby, is Bulla with my mom?”

“Yup. We’ve got the whole afternoon to ourselves. But I volunteered us to let Bulla sleep in our extra room tonight so they could have a night alone. And I said we’d take her to dinner with us.”

Trunks frowned and complained, “Ten, fuck, I don’t want to not be able to have you tonight.”

“She sleeps like a log. And besides, you keep saying you want to gag me,” Goten said, his eyes glittering. He pulled Trunks to his feet and kissed him.

As they wandered back to their suite, Goten said, feigning casual interest when Trunks could feel how badly he wanted to know what had happened, “How were things with Piccolo?”

Trunks relayed his chat with his newfound father to his mate. Goten seemed pleased. “I’m glad you talked to him, Daddy,” he said as he opened the door to their room. The second they were inside the suite, Goten slammed Trunks against the door, kissing him hard.

“Me too…It was…nice,” Trunks panted out between Goten’s furious, hungry kissed. It was clear Goten was done talking.

Goten bit up his neck and shoved Trunks’s swimsuit down. He spun Trunks and pressed his chest against the door, knocking his legs wide. Trunks’s heart rate rocketed up. He did want Goten to fuck him at some point, but this felt…abrupt…vulnerable. The part of him that was Vegeta’s son, through and through, screamed not to leave himself open to danger this way, unable to see, and now Goten pinned his hands against his tailbone as he dropped to his knees.

Goten’s hot, searching tongue found Truck’s asshole and Trunks groaned at the unexpected pleasure. The unexpected act. Trunks gasped, “Ten…oh fuck, Ten…”

“If I let go of your hands will you spread yourself for me, Daddy?” Goten purred, “You won’t freak out?”

“I’ll spread, but I think I need to lie down, baby, it’s crazy intense.”

Goten swung Trunks over his shoulder with a brisk slap on the ass. Trunks was a surprised how much he enjoyed Goten taking charge this way. How turned on he was.

“Open yourself up for me, Daddy,” Goten demanded, his voice husky with want.

Trunks splayed out on the bed and looked uncertainly over his shoulder. “Like…like grab my ass?”

“Exactly. I want to worship that ass of yours, Trunks. You’ve been all over me, so I haven’t gotten to do this, and I’m done waiting.”

Goten shifted him so he was on his knees, his chest on the bed, his arms stretched back and pulling his own, muscular cheeks open. Trunks had never felt more unguarded or scared in his life. He knew Goten wouldn’t hurt him, it just felt like exactly what it was: open and exposed.

Goten trailed his tongue over Trunks’s pucker lazily a few times before settling into a rhythm of small, pulsing circles, but he didn’t dip into Trunks. He reached underneath Trunks and took his cock in his hand and his hand was slick. He twisted his fist down the length of Trunks’s shaft and Trunks struggled not to tighten his ass and thrust into it.

“Daddy, I want to fuck you so badly…” Goten murmured and pressed his tongue inside Trunks.

Trunks moaned, burying his face in the bedding to muffle the sound. His hips rocked back toward Goten’s mouth. Trunks, after another long, helpless moan, turned his face to the side and said, “I’m nervous, Ten.”

“I know, my mate, but I’ll take care of you. I’m a good top, Trunks. I promise,” Goten said.

“I’ve never…like nothing…nothing back there.”

“I’m not just going to ram into you. I’ll stretch you, get you ready, beautiful.”

“Can…can we see how that goes?” Trunks said, his voice small and ashamed.

“Of course, Daddy. I don’t ever want to hurt you. I want to take care of you,” Goten gave Trunks another thorough tongue-fucking.

Trunks wondered if Goten did some kind of exercise to make his tongue so strong. “Gods, baby, you are really, really good at that, please, oh fuck, Ten…Ten if you keep doing that while you stroke my dick…Please…Ten!” Trunks was barely holding on and Goten was merciless. His tongue thrust deeper and pulsed inside Trunks while his hand moved up and down Trunks’s length fast and hard, always twisting over the head in the most delightful way.

“Ten, fuck! I’m…I’m coming, baby!” Trunks screamed and pelted the bed with shot after shot of cum, and still Goten’s tongue thrust inside him. “Ten, fucking gods!” Trunks wailed and somehow his balls found more to pour onto the bed as Trunks writhed and bucked and twitched.

When Goten finally took his mouth away, he slapped Trunks’s ass, once on each side and growled, “Gods, I fucking _love_ making you come, Daddy. I love it.”

Trunks flopped onto his back so he wasn’t in the mess on the bed. He made a mental note to leave a huge tip for the poor housekeepers that had to deal with his and Goten’s room. 

Goten climbed above him, kissed up his belly, pausing to suck and bite each nipple, and finally onto Trunks’s mouth. “Baby, that was incredible,” Trunks whispered against Goten’s lips. “I love you.” Goten’s smile was like sunshine. Trunks caressed his cheek and said, “I’m so lucky, Ten. I don’t know what I did in a past life to deserve you, but you’re perfect. I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, beautiful,” Goten purred and slid his hand down Trunk’s belly and between his legs. He curled his fingers against Trunks’s pucker. His eyebrows came together and he said, “Huh, I wonder why you don’t get wet?”

“My dad said it’s a sign of fertility, so let’s be grateful we have to use lube,” Trunks said, “I think one pregnant partner at a time is plenty.”

Goten rumpled up his nose and said, “Did you really talk to _Vegeta_ about my ass?”

“Yeah…I just…I wanted to make sure it wasn’t something…something wrong, you know, with the baby.”

Goten’s head thumped down onto Trunks’s chest and he laughed. “Oh gods, all _three_ of your parents know about our daddy kink, and now they probably all know that my ass gets wet. And I’m pregnant. And here I thought we’d just enjoy a mutual handy and then I’d continue pining away for you.”

“Sorry?” Trunks said, unsure if Goten was taken out of the moment by these realizations.

“Don’t be sorry, Daddy. I’m just glad I caught you jerking off to my picture,” Goten said, looking up into Trunks’s eyes.

“Yeah…sorry I was creepy, but at least we’re together now, right?” Trunks said, still vaguely ashamed that he’d done such a thing.

Goten grinned and kissed him. “Only a tiny bit creepy. You’re so adorable how oblivious you are. Just like your dad, well, your sperm-dad.”

“I think Vegeta might be less oblivious than I originally thought. I’m still just trying to process him and Piccolo being a couple, you know?”

Goten grabbed the lube and sucked on Trunk’s nipple as he slicked his fingers. “No, because I’m too busy trying to process _you_ loving me, Daddy. I can’t think of anything but you. I guess I should have foisted a bit more, but I chose life in case Vegeta’s definition of ‘foisting’ was different than mine.”

Trunks’s mind blanked as Goten’s finger pressed inside him. Goten’s eyes slid shut and he groaned against Trunks’s lips. Trunks stammered, “I…I…Ten…I…”

“Shh…Daddy, relax for me. Relax that perfect ass, Trunks. I’ve got you. Let me find your spot, then you’ll see how amazing it is. Lie back, just relax. Let your mate love you, ‘kay?”

“Yeah…Okay…Fuck!” Trunks shouted as Goten slid deeper inside him. It didn’t hurt, it was just novel and Trunks felt self-conscious having never done anything with his own ass, and only experiencing Goten’s, which was fucking perfect. Goten had who knows how many asses under his belt. 

“Daddy, you are not even a little relaxed, what’s going on?”

“Ten…I…have you been with a lot of guys?”

Goten withdrew his finger and sat back on his haunches. The look he gave Trunks wasn’t quite a glare, but it was close enough that Trunks continued in a hurry, “I don’t care, I’m just…I’m just scared that I’ll suck and since you actually have stuff to compare me to…I’m just…um…just feeling insecure.” Trunks’s eyes skittered away from Goten’s.

Goten’s fingers were on his ass again. He spread his other hand over Trunks’s claim and said, “Trunks, your ass is the only ass I care about. I love your ass. You need to stop being stupid. Maybe Vegeta was right and your sudden realization about wanting my dick is making your brain turn to mush.”

“I just want to be good for you, baby,” Trunks whispered, Goten’s pep-talk not having the intended effect, only making him feel more inept.

“You are. You’re the best for me. So open that sweet ass for your mate and let me show you what you’ve been missing. Give yourself to me, Daddy. I want to fuck you and all you have to do is relax and it will be amazing.”

Trunks nodded, speechless and stupid like their first hand job. He stared into Goten’s eyes and Trunks saw the fiery love there. Goten kept his hand on Trunks’s claim. Trunks reached up and traced the bloody crescents on Goten’s chest and felt so immediately better that his whole body relaxed, even his ass.

“There you go, Daddy, let your baby inside you.”

Goten’s hands were as perfect as the rest of him, but Trunks hadn’t fully appreciated how long his fingers were until that moment. Goten bent and kissed Trunks as he thrust more deeply, still with only one finger, but Trunks panted into his mate’s mouth. Goten’s lips curled into a smile as he brushed what Trunks assumed was his prostate from how good it felt.

“Fuck! Ten, that…oh gods!” Trunks cried.

Goten’s smile widened and he nipped along Trunks’s jaw and murmured in his ear, “I’m going to make you come so hard, Daddy, you’ll see why bottoming is fun.”

“I…I want you. I want your dick, baby,” Trunks gasped.

“Let me get you ready,” Goten said, swirling his tongue in Trunks’s ear. Goten slid his finger out, the lube lid clicked and Trunks felt the fullness of two fingers pushing inside him. Goten delved deep, tapping Trunks’s prostate mercilessly and Trunks whimpered.

Trunks groaned, “Baby, no, I want it to be on your dick. I want my first prostate orgasm to be on your cock. Please, baby, please?”

“Yeah, okay, Daddy. You sure?” Goten whispered.

Trunks nodded and helped Goten lube his prick. Trunks spread himself wider and caressed Goten’s mating mark again. Heat pooled in his pelvis. Goten positioned himself and held his cock aligned with Trunks’s pucker, his other hand gripping Trunks’s bitten pec. “Open up for me, beautiful. You want to pleasure your mate, right? Give me that sweet ass, Trunks.”

“Ten, oh fuck,” Trunks purred and it was like his body suddenly knew what to do, how to do it, and it _needed_ Goten. A biological imperative. A compulsion. A physical need. 

Goten sank into him in one long smooth motion and Trunks was a little relieved his mate’s prick wasn’t as big as Trunks’s dick, because Goten was already a lot. Goten growled and braced his now free hand on the bed by Trunks’s hip. He rolled gently at first, staring into Trunks’s eyes. Goten growled, “Your ass is fucking perfect, Daddy. I want to fuck you so hard. I want to fucking pound you.”

“Do it, baby. I’m ready,” Trunks said and was surprised that it was true, not just a mate-pleasing statement. He really wanted Goten to fuck him right into the floor.

“You mean it, Daddy? You ready to really take my cock?”

Trunks nodded. He was vaguely ashamed that being really turned on rendered him speechless. There was nothing to be done except hope that Goten would fuck him into next week so he could forget how embarrassed he was.

Goten rose up on his knees, pulled Trunks’s legs up and put them over the crooks of his elbows and gripped the upper edge of Trunks’s hips. Goten’s hips bashed forward as he held Trunks in place viciously, his short nails digging into Trunks’s skin. Each thrust set off a line of firecrackers in Trunks’s belly. “Ten! Fuck! Yes!” 

Trunks had no idea that it could feel like this. He imagined bottoming as something that would be okay because it brought pleasure to his mate. He truly didn’t understand how fucking good it would feel. He gasped out, “Baby, you’re fucking amazing! Harder, Ten. Fuck me harder!”

“Stroke your dick for me, Daddy. I want to watch. Stroke that perfect cock!” Goten purred. 

Trunks obliged, squeezing lube into his hand so he could jerk himself off more easily while his mate pushed him closer and closer to an insane orgasm. Trunks thought about how long he’d wanted Goten, how long he’d been dreaming of his best friend while stroking his prick, and he groaned, “I won't last, baby, you feel too good.” Trunks twisted his hand over his swollen head, ran his fingers down the underside, and started moving in time with Goten’s vicious thrusts.

“Yeah, Daddy? You want me to get you off without you touching your prick? You want me to give that to you?”

Trunks found the idea very hot. He took his hand away, but then, impulsively, a little shyly, started tugging and twisting both his nipples. It was like an electric connection to the place Goten was slamming against inside Trunks. “Fuck, baby, I’m…I’m so close. Are you close, Ten?”

“Yeah, but I want you to come first. I need to feel your ass clench, my mate. I need it. You gonna come for me, Daddy?”

Trunks, idiotically, fucking nodded again. He held Goten’s eyes as his climax surged through his whole body, unlike any orgasm he’d had before. He moaned incoherently, pleaded and begged for Goten to do more of whatever magic he was making in Trunks’s insides.

Trunks loved watching Goten’s face as he came, his eyes scrunching closed, his mouth opening, and a low growl emanating from his chest. Goten gasped, “Fuck, yes, Daddy! Fuck! Your ass is gripping me!” and slammed into Trunks a few more times with brutal force. It felt amazing.

Goten eased Trunks back down on the bed, but stayed inside him, still pulsing just a little. Goten rendered Trunks mute. Trunks couldn’t so much as profess his love at the moment. He wrapped his arms and legs around Goten and kissed him hard, their breaths coming in ragged, unified draws.

Goten pushed Trunks’s hair out of his face and said, “Daddy, you’re just about to man-bun length. It looks so sexy. Everything about you is so sexy. I can’t believe you’re mine.”

Trunks pulled Goten into another kiss, buying himself time to not be a fucking bobblehead. His heart slowed some and he felt language return to him. “Baby, that was incredible. I…I didn’t know it would feel that good.”

Goten gave Trunks his biggest, brightest smile. “Mmm…well, I didn’t until you fucked me the first time. But even though I’d never bottomed before you, I definitely masturbate that way. I can’t believe you resisted that while you were in denial about your sexuality, dude.”

Trunks smirked and said, “I wasn’t really in denial of my sexuality. I knew I wanted you, I just…I didn’t want to risk our friendship. I seriously had no clue you were gay. But…I guess I never imagined bottoming. I always just pretended I was fucking you, you know? I’d jerk off thinking about that, or about rimming you, or about blowing you, or you blowing me, or both at once,” Trunks said and laughed. “It never occurred to me to masturbate that way. Do you like, finger yourself? Or do you have a dildo?”

“Both. But once I’d done it a few times, I just prefer my dildo because…well…um…I mean…” Goten flushed scarlet and whispered, “I mean, I’ve seen your cock, you know? So…I…like when I’d fantasize, I wanted to be able to take you, you know? I kind of figured it’d be an easier transition for you to top me if you ever were willing to give me a try. It’s kind of funny that if not for your mom, we might’ve been fucking for the past couple years.”

“Why my mom? My mom doesn’t care that I’m gay,” Trunks said, very confused.

“No, because if she hadn’t made your dads hide their stuff, you wouldn’t have had your weird hang-ups about liking dick, and then you might’ve noticed me making passes at you, dude.”

“You’ve been making passes at me for…for years?”

“Pretty soft passes, obviously. The offer on your birthday was about as blatant as I could be. I decided not to pester you anymore after that, you just looked so uncomfortable afterwards.”

“Because I got hard, Ten, fuck. I had to jerk off so many times to be able to sleep. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you’d stayed over.”

“Uh, maybe you woulda let me blow you, Daddy,” Goten said and bent to kiss Trunks again. “You seem like you’re doing better after your talk with Piccolo.”

“Yeah, I am. I think…I think it might be cool to have a dad who, you know, wants me as a son. If I can get past the shock and the weirdness of it all. It’s also super weird to know he’s pregnant from Vegeta. Do you…like…feel okay about the pregnancy? Like, like things are okay inside?”

Goten’s smile was the light of Trunks’s life. It always had been, but whenever Trunks talked about the baby, it was somehow more luminous and happy and excited than his normal ebullient grin. “Yeah, I feel great. I’m sure he’s doing great too, even though I know he and Vegeta are worried. I can feel their baby, like it already knows our baby. I worried I’d get morning sickness like poor Piccolo, but I feel fine. I’m tired, like I want a nap right now, tired. Other than wanting to eat even more than usual and wanting to sleep every minute I’m not having some kind of sex with you, I feel better than I ever have. I love being your mate, Daddy. And I want this. I know Vegeta lost his shit, but I’m glad. I don’t care if it was our weird-ass alien biology that made me want it. Why would I fight something that feels so good?”

“I just worry, Ten. It’s not trivial to have a baby,” Trunks said, trailing his fingertips over Goten’s ridged abdomen.

“I know, but I’m strong and healthy, and honestly, I know I should finish school, and I will, but…I mean, I know this is maybe dumb, but I just want a family. I’ve always just wanted a family. You have all these goals and dreams and stuff, but I just…I just want to be strong and happy and raise some cute kids, and be with the man I love. So, I mean, unless you really want me to go to college, I’ve kind nailed this whole life thing.”

Trunks laughed and kissed Goten more. He smiled up at his mate and caressed his grinning face. “You have nailed it. I want you to do whatever you want to do. I’ll take care of you, Ten. Always. You and our brood,” Trunks said, emphasizing the last word with a little snort of amusement.

“You laugh, but I do want a brood,” Goten teased and pulled himself out of Trunks. Goten cleaned both of them up and said, “But right now I need to eat and nap. Why did you ask me about how I felt about the pregnancy? Do I smell weird or something that’s making you worried?”

“No, you smell fucking amazing. No. Just my dad…dads…they both think their baby isn’t viable, but I think I have a theory,” Trunks said.

“Oh yeah?” Goten asked, dressing. 

Trunks stayed sprawled on his back naked, still blissed out from the fucking. “Yeah, I know my mom said that Namekians reproduce with eggs, but what if the Saiyan DNA, since Saiyans were big colonizers, what if the Saiyan DNA overrode that and Piccolo’s having a Saiyan pregnancy? Like a live-birth pregnancy? That would explain why he’s sick to his stomach all the time. And why he’s barely showing. You’re showing as much as he is.”

Goten’s eyes widened and he grinned more. He lifted his shirt and touched his belly. “You think I’m showing, Daddy?”

“I’m probably the only one who can tell, since I stare at your body a _lot_ , baby. But yeah, you’re just a little fuller. Just like Piccolo. He just looks thick, you know?”

“I agree, he does, but why would it happen now, after all the years they’ve tried?”

“I don’t know, I kind of want to pry with Piccolo, but I think he’s determined not to get excited and part of that is not talking about it.”

“I get that. It must have been so hard for them. I don’t know what I’d do if we couldn’t get pregnant,” Goten said and he hauled Trunks up off the bed.

Trunks said, “Like ten days ago you didn’t know you _could_ get pregnant.”

Goten giggled and said, “Right? Lucky I never let anyone top me raw, can you imagine some poor human getting the news from me that they’d knocked me up?”

Trunks knew it was just a joke but even the words made his mark burn and his head felt like it was going to split open. He groaned and bent double. A growl rumbled in his chest. He didn’t know if he could bear the eyes that would crawl all over Goten if he let Goten go out of their room.

“Daddy? You okay?” Goten said, and touched Trunks’s claim.

Trunks’s relief was as overwhelming as the pain had been. “Fucking hell, Ten, these things are insane. I…I knew you were joking, but it was like you set me on fire and cracked my head open just saying that.”

“It was weird, I could feel your pain in my head like reverb. Spooky shit, right there. Do you think we can be telepathic like your dads?”

“I doubt it. I think that’s a Namekian thing, not a mate thing.”

“Too bad, I’d talk dirty to you all the time, and make you get hard in public,” Goten said with a little smirk.

“Yeah? You could always whisper at sub-human levels if that was what you wanted,” Trunks said and stroked Goten’s cock through his pants.

“Daddy, do you have an exhibitionist streak?” Goten’s body leaned into Trunks’s touch.

Trunks kissed Goten deeply, his breathing speeding up. “Maybe I just want to hear you talk dirty to me.”

“Maybe I just want to make you need to ravish me more often. But right now I’m starving, Daddy. Don’t forget I’ve got another Saiyan in me. I’m glad your family bullshit is getting sorted out so I can have more of you,” Goten said, but twined his tongue with Trunks’s anyway, reaching inside Trunks’s shorts.

Trunks panted and mimicked Goten’s actions, knowing that they should at least take their shorts off if they were going to jerk each other off. “Yeah, and if I’m right about Piccolo, it looks like we won’t have to leave our celebratory mating cruise early either.”

“Their baby is fine. I feel it,” Goten gasped as Trunks twisted the ridges of his fingers over Goten’s head. He was rock hard now, bucking up toward Trunks. “Daddy…I need to eat, but you’re making me not want to go eat.”

“Let’s stay in. Order every single thing on the room-service menu if you want. I bet they’re fast,” Trunks said, hoping to cajole Goten into staying safely sequestered in their room until Trunks could think more clearly about how to keep his mate safe from others who might try to steal him or harm him.

Goten seemed to sense Trunks’s logically ridiculous distress, and he acquiesced. He shoved their shorts down, stripped off his shirt, and said, grinning against Trunks’s lips, “You’re starving too, huh, beautiful? I guess I’ll give you a little snack and then we’ll order real food.”

Trunks wasn’t sure if Goten meant he wanted Trunks to suck him off, but Trunks wanted it and doubted Goten would complain. He kissed down Goten’s fantastic body, gripped his muscular ass, and slurped Goten’s cock down. Goten murmured, running his fingers through Trunks’s hair, “Fuck, Daddy, I could look at you sucking my dick all fucking day. You’re so beautiful.”

Trunks tried new twisting moves with his tongue. He tugged on Goten’s balls gently while pushing Goten’s cock as far back in Trunks’s throat as he could. It didn’t hurt exactly, but it was hard not to gag, but Trunks needed this. He needed Goten to want Trunks as badly as Trunks wanted Goten. The sudden, unshakeable fear of other suitors made Trunks shaky.

He paused to slather two of his fingers with spit and when he deep-throated Goten again, he nudged his legs apart enough that he could push inside his mate’s delicious, wet ass. Trunks had already forgotten that Goten could get wet. But the scent of it was so alluring that there was no way other males wouldn’t come sniffing around. Trunks needed to keep Goten away from them. Trunks needed to protect his mate and his unborn baby.

He plunged deeper until he found Goten’s spot, circling it and pushing with increasing pressure. 

“Fuck, Daddy, you want me to come in your mouth?”

Trunks didn’t stop moving his mouth up and down Goten’s cock to answer, instead he pushed harder inside Goten, pushed him over the edge. Goten cried out and fucked into Trunks’s mouth as he grazed his fingernails over Trunks’s scalp. Salty cum filled Trunks’s mouth, and he gagged when it hit his soft palate, but he swallowed it down eagerly.

Goten pulled Trunks to his feet and Trunks kissed him frantically, clutching at his taller mate, needing to be as close as possible. Goten paused and said, “Let me order some food, okay?”

“Tell me what you want, baby, I’ll order,” Trunks said, not even wanting Goten to talk on the phone with another male.

Goten cocked his head. “Are you okay, Trunks?”

“It’s just…I…They’re everywhere. There’s males all over the boat. I just want to keep you safe, my mate. I need to keep you safe.”

Goten blinked at him and took his hands. “Hey, beautiful, I think you might be getting a case of the mate-crazies. Your mom told me about them. Do you think you might be just feeling, um, _over_ -protective?”

“Ten, it’s not safe. Please let me order the food. Please? I’ll get you whatever you want.”

Goten sighed and kissed Trunks. “Okay, Daddy. You’re being insane, but okay.”

They ordered food and Trunks knew he needed to keep Goten occupied so he wouldn't smell all the other males on the ship. Why did Trunks think a cruise would be fun? There were males everywhere trying to show off their pathetic bodies. But what if several tried to come for Goten at once? Surely they would with the way he smelled. So ripe and fertile and strong.

“Hey Trunks,” Goten said in between furious kisses as Trunks shoved his mate onto the bed. If he was inside Goten, he would feel better. Then Goten’s scent would be mixed with Trunks’s scent. The other males would stay away once Trunks had scent-marked Goten. 

“Yes, my love?” Trunks purred, kissing all over Goten’s body, paying special attention to his belly.

“Come here, come up here, okay?” Goten said and pulled at Trunks’s armpits. Once Trunks was on top of Goten, he clutched them together until their marks touched. Trunks groaned with pleasure. He could stay like this, this was helpful. Trunks had claimed Goten, and if any male tried to challenge Trunks’s claim, Trunks would eviscerate them and decorate with their entrails. “You feeling any better, Daddy?”

“Huh? I don’t feel bad, I just need to keep you safe. There’s just a lot of other males on this ship and with you being pregnant and smelling just…just…just so fucking good, I need—“

Goten cut Trunks off and kissed him deeply. Trunks felt that Goten was doing something with his other hand, but Trunks didn’t know what. Trunks pulled away. Goten was texting. “Who are you texting?” Trunks practically screeched.

Now the terror of other suitors was overwhelming like spreading, itchy rash, but _inside_ his skin. “Ten, fuck, I’m…no. Please. Stop.”

“Daddy, I need you to settle down. Can you look me in the eye?” Trunks did as Goten said. He would do anything for Goten. “I’m yours, Trunks. Nobody else will have me. No one’s going to touch me. I’m yours. Don’t stress. I’m your mate. You claimed me,” Goten said and pushed Trunks’s hand onto the mark Trunks branded his mate with.

_Mine_ , Trunks’s mind whispered. _Keep safe. Mine. My baby. My mate. Keep safe. Keep everyone away_. 

“Daddy, did something I said freak you out? Bulma said you can kind of trigger it like she almost did earlier talking about my parents. I need you to come back to me, okay? Hey, Trunks? You’re scaring me.”

Trunks snapped out of what he was doing. He was clutching Goten against him so tightly he feared he might have bruised his mate. “Ten, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt? There’s just a lot of threats here. It’s very stressful.”

“Daddy, there’s no threats to two demi-Saiyans. None. We’re fine. I love you. We’re going to eat some food and I’m going to nap. Settle down. No more picking me up, okay?”

“I’m just trying to protect you,” Trunks said plaintively. He needed Goten to understand how dangerous the whole ship was now that Goten smelled like this. A knock came at the door and Trunks went super Saiyan. He pulled on his shorts and approached it warily. “Who is it?” Trunks called.

“Trunks, open the godsdamned door,” his mother said.

Trunks peeked out to make sure there were no males using Bulma as a ticket in. He opened it just wide enough that she could squeak inside their room. Trunks stopped her there though, he didn’t know what her intentions were. What if she thought they were too young and was trying to take Goten back to his parents? Trunks didn’t want to kill his mother, but he would if she tried to take his mate from him. He would kill anyone who tried to take his mate from him.


	10. Mate-Crazy

Trunks sprang between his mother and Goten, checking to make sure Goten was covered up. Goten had pulled on his shorts and was up and moving around the room. “Goten! Stay back!”

Goten wrapped around Trunks from behind and touched his claim. He kissed the side of Trunks’s neck and said, “Daddy, I need you to relax. That’s your mom, Bulma. She’s not going to hurt me. She couldn’t hurt me, even if she wanted to, but she doesn’t. Okay? Relax.”

“She’s a genius, what if she made some kind of Saiyan tranquilizer or something?” Trunks countered. Part of his brain knew his mother wouldn’t do that, but his whole body howled for him to protect Goten, to keep everyone, even his family, away from Goten.

“Trunks Briefs, I am insulted that you think I don’t already have a Saiyan tranquilizer at the ready after years of living with Vegeta. If I wanted to tranquilize you, you’d be tranqued. You’re being mate-crazy and you’re upsetting your mate.”

Trunks spun to see that Goten did look very nervous. Surely Goten was nervous because of Bulma, not because of his own mate? “Ten? You’re…you’re not scared are you? I’ll keep you safe!”

“Trunks, you’re keeping me a little _too_ safe, okay? I’m starving. I want to eat and I want to take a nap and I can’t do either when you won’t stop freaking out and pawing at me.”

Trunks’s heart raced and he said, “But…but…but you’re mine! What if…what if they come for you?” Trunks’s eyes were stinging. The fear of other suitors was overpowering. “Your food is on its way, baby, it’ll be here any minute. I’ll get it for you. You don’t even have to look at the guy. He won’t see you.”

Goten sidled to the left, toward the door. Trunks began to panic. He didn’t want to hurt Goten, but he couldn’t let Goten go out that door into the maw of all those slavering males. There were just too many unknown dangers out there.

Goten said to Bulma, “Did you tell Vegeta what’s going on?”

“Yes, he’s on standby,” Bulma said and nodded toward the balcony.

Trunks whirled around just as his father blinked into existence behind him, pinning him in a vice grip for a brief moment before making a large chi ring tighten around his hips, binding his hands against his body painfully. “Trunks, take a few deep breaths. This won’t happen to you often, but you need to learn to deal with it, to recognize it,” Vegeta growled and swept Trunks’s feet out from under him. He hit the floor with a painful thud, but squirmed around to keep an eye on Goten.

“Ten, run away! Run away!” Trunks screamed and tried to kick Vegeta in the face. Vegeta dodged easily. Piccolo was there too, Bulla riding on his shoulders. “Ten, please! They’re trying to take you from me!” Tears spilled down his face as he struggled to free his hands. He kicked viciously at Vegeta. Vegeta rolled his eyes and put another chi ring around Trunks’s feet.

Goten dropped to his knees and touched Trunks’s mark, which was very soothing. Trunks whispered, “Baby, get out of here! They’re trying to take you away! They think we’re too young!”

“Daddy.” Goten stared into his eyes and caressed his mark more. Goten continued in the sort of tone Trunks imagined he would use with a rabid dog that he was about to put down, “Daddy, look at me. Just me. I’m safe. They don’t want to take me anywhere. They are only here because _you_ are making me feel unsafe. You. So stop it. Right now. Get ahold of yourself.”

Trunks wormed his body to wrap around Goten’s legs and whispered, “Baby, there’s hundreds of guys on this ship and if they smell you—“

“Trunks, are you saying you think I’d cheat on you?” Goten said in a dark, angry tone. He crossed his arms. He looked so beautiful with all his muscles taut, his jaw muscle flickering as he stared down at Trunks.

A knock came at the door and a male voice said, “Room service!”

Bulma swung open the door and Trunks screeched, “No! Don’t, Mom! Please! I can’t—“

Goten pushed his other hand over Trunks’s mouth and said in a calm voice, “Look at me, Trunks. Answer my question. Do you think I would cheat on you?”

Trunks shook his head and more tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. Goten removed his hand and the room service guy left without trying for Goten. Trunks whispered, “But what if they…what if they hurt you!?”

“So you think I’m weak?” Goten said, raising an eyebrow and scowling.

“No! You’re so strong, baby! But…but…I…” Trunks’s heart thundered so loudly and fear made his muscles ache. Sweat poured off his body. “I just want to keep you safe, baby!”

“You do. Can you see you’re being irrational? That no one on this boat besides Vegeta is strong enough to hurt me? And that I’d never cheat on you?”

“But you just smell so good, Ten, they’re all gonna come for you.”

“Daddy, they’re human, they can’t smell anything,” Goten said and dug his fingers into the still open wound on Trunks’s chest. Trunks expected pain, but he hissed with pleasure.

“You don’t think they can smell you? But you talked about what would have happened if a human had topped you raw…don’t…aren’t…I…I just got worried,” Trunks said, feeling like he was coming down off some very powerful drugs. “Are you okay, baby? Nobody’s going to hurt you? You’re okay? I didn’t hurt you?” Trunks whispered. He was tied up. He wanted to hug Goten.

“No, Daddy. Your parents are here. Can you be calm now?” Goten said and gave Trunks a little kiss. “I want to eat my food and take a nap, Trunks. I think you should go hang out with your parents so I can actually rest. I’m really tired.”

“But…” Trunks’s breathing started to speed up again and the fog of panic began to cloud his mind. “You…you’ll text me if you’re scared? Or need me?”

Vegeta said in a flat, calm voice. “You can hear him in your mind if he’s distressed, Trunks. Don’t worry. He doesn’t even need to text you. You’ll know. He’s yours. He’s your mate. Let’s let him eat his food and rest. You don’t want him to suffer? You don’t want the baby to go hungry, do you, boy?”

“No, no, of course not!” Trunks cried. “Why am I tied up?”

“Can you behave, Daddy? You were squeezing me and stuff earlier. Can you behave if Vegeta lets you up?” Goten said.

“Yeah, of course, baby. I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? I’ll keep everyone away.”

“Nope, I need you to just enjoy the cruise. Don’t worry about me. I’m strong. I’ll call out telepathically if I need you. You don’t need to keep anyone away because no one is going to bother me,” Goten said.

Trunks looked up at his parents and Bulla. Bulla caught his eye and said, “Don’t be mean to Ten-Ten, Trunks. Not nice! Shitty!”

“Bulla! Language!” Bulma screeched.

“Piccy said I could say ‘shit’ while he grew the baby!”

“Well Piccy isn’t always—“

“No, Mommy! Piccy said shitty is fine!”

Bulma glared at Piccolo and Trunks’s mind cleared more. He said, “Oh shit. Whoa. That was…a trip. Are you okay, Ten? Gods. Sorry.” Trunks felt hungover.

Vegeta hauled him to his feet but didn’t undo the chi restraints. He looked into Trunks’s eyes and grunted. They disappeared. “Can you recognize how that felt, boy?”

“Um…I think so. What…what happened?”

Piccolo’s low voice cut Vegeta off as he started to speak, “Come on, all of you, let’s leave Goten alone. He looks wiped. Let him rest. We can teach Trunks to deal with the mate-crazies outside. Come on,” Piccolo patted Trunks’s shoulder as he wrapped his other arm around Vegeta. “Hold on, blueberry, I have to move two Saiyans out of here.”

“Want me to move Daddy, Piccy? I can carry Daddy. Trunksy doesn’t like when I carry him.”

“I can walk just fine, princess,” Vegeta said and tugged her toes.

“Bye, Ten-Ten! Have a good nap!”

“I will, princess!” Goten said. “Give me one sec with Trunks and I’ll send him out, okay? Right, Trunks? You’ll go?”

“Yeah, of course. Yeah,” Trunks said, nodding and trying to keep the fog from returning.

Piccolo arched a brow at Trunks and said, “You good?” 

Trunks said, “Yeah, I’ll be right out, Dad, promise.” Piccolo looked startled by Trunks addressing him that way, but all three of his parents left. He hugged Goten gently and kissed him, hoping his mate wasn’t angry. 

“Daddy, you need to get that under control,” Goten whispered and kissed him more. “Promise you’ll listen to your dads and try to learn?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry,” Trunks murmured. Trunks pressed his lips against Goten’s again, slid his tongue alongside his mate’s, relieved at the taste of Goten’s mouth. “I’ll go if you really want me to go.”

“I’ll see you later tonight when we take Bulla to dinner, okay?” Goten said and led Trunks toward the door.

Trunks nodded, back to being his idiotic bobblehead self. He kissed Goten again and slipped out, still wary of leaving his mate or letting anyone see him. Vegeta waited with crossed arms. He jerked his head for Trunks to follow him.

Bulla scrambled down Piccolo’s long body and up onto Vegeta’s shoulder, sitting like some kind of toddler parrot. Bulla chirped at Vegeta, “Look at all the weaklings, Daddy!”

“You’re such an ass-kisser, Bulla,” Trunks grumbled, feeling more irritable with every step away from his mate.

Bulla gave him a very Vegeta-like imperious glare and said, “Don’t be mean, Trunksy! I didn’t kiss anybody’s ass!”

Bulma said, “Bulla, just because Piccy lets you say one bad word doesn’t mean you can just have a full-blown potty mouth.”

“You have a full-blown potty-mouth, Mommy.”

Vegeta snorted with pleasure at Bulla’s commentary. Bulma swatted his Bulla-free shoulder.

Trunks slowed to a stop and said, “I would really feel more comfortable just guarding our suite, if that’s okay.” The danger to his mate throbbed like a toothache, but in his whole body. 

Piccolo pushed Trunks insistently, forcing him to keep walking farther away from Goten, and said, “Nope, not okay. Vegeta’s right, you need to get a handle on this now or you’ll piss off your mate constantly.” 

Trunks turned to look at Piccolo, but found he was smirking at Vegeta who crossed his arms and turned away flushing. Trunks ventured, “Does…um…does Papa get mate-crazy more than you, Dad?”

Piccolo’s eyes darted down to Trunks. They were a little glassy and another surprised smile spread on his face. He laughed and said, “Yeah, you could say that.”

“Oh, quiet, _minaiya_ , I can’t help if you’re so fucking delectable that I worry. It’s a reasonable concern,” Vegeta huffed.

Bulma said, “It’s ridiculous that I’m the only one who might actually need protection and neither of you ever go ‘mate-crazy’ for me.”

Vegeta smirked and said, “The fuck he didn’t, I almost killed you when you _stole_ my mate, and he saved you. So you got both sides of mate-crazy, you ungrateful woman.”

Bulma giggled and slapped Vegeta’s ass. Trunks was so confused by his trifecta of weird parents. Were all people’s parents this weird? Vegeta and Bulma were weird enough on their own. Trunks liked the idea of having a dad that liked him, but having three parents seemed excessive even if they were normal.

Piccolo chuckled and said to Trunks, “Anyway, you should think about how you felt at the beginning of that episode so you can start to recognize them coming on. Sounds like Goten’s…history…triggered you a little. You’re gonna wanna watch out for that and—“

“But…but I mean, isn’t it…Shouldn’t I watch out for _danger_? I’m getting really nervous being out here. I think I should just stay by the door. I won’t bother him or anything. I’ll just keep him safe.”

Piccolo stopped and glared down at Trunks. “Do you wanna be like…Papa?” He jutted his chin over where Vegeta was aghast that someone was speaking to him about how cute Bulla was. It was just objectively true: Bulla was one of the cutest toddlers ever to walk the Earth, Trunks would never deny it. Vegeta’s overwrought distress whenever strangers spoke to him was amusing when Trunks could distance himself from it. Now, with Piccolo as a father, Trunks kind of enjoyed it. Like he and Piccolo were a team that could pick on Vegeta and all his weird tics.

Trunks said, reluctantly, “Well, no, I definitely don’t want to be like Papa, but…I just…Goten…I…Do you not get worried with all the people ogling Papa?”

Piccolo’s brow furrowed and his eyes ricocheted around, landing briefly on the women that lowered their shades to look at Vegeta. After a long moment during which Trunks thought maybe Piccolo might have his own little attack of the mate-crazies, Piccolo took a long breath and said, “No. Because I’m so fucking good in bed, Papa would never stoop to sleeping with anyone else.”

Bulla said, “Is fucking allowed while you grow the baby, Piccy? What’s good in bed? Pillows are good in bed! My blankie is good in bed. How is Piccy good in bed? Is it because Piccy is so warm?”

Vegeta shot Piccolo a wicked little grin and purred, “Yes, princess, he’s just very hot in bed. Aren’t you, _minaiya_? But you’re wrong. I stoop to sleeping with the woman.”

“Bulla stop saying that word, it’s a grown up word. And yes, it’s because Piccy is warm, that’s what makes him good in bed. He’s just so hot. So you stoop to fucking me, Vegeta? Very flattering,” Bulma said, but she was laughing.

“Why do you get to say ‘fucking,’ Mommy?” Bulla whined. Everyone ignored Trunks’s baby sister. It was clear his parental trio were too involved in discussing how they had sex in thinly veiled euphemisms. Trunks rolled his eyes.

Vegeta’s arm snapped out and around Bulma’s waist, pulling her flush against him. He growled, “I have to stoop because you’re a little shorter than I am,” and he continued whispering something in her ear. He kissed her mouth before shoving her away from himself with a loud smack on her practically bare ass.

Trunks said, trying to refocus the conversation on getting back to Goten, “So…I just have to be really good in bed and I won’t get mate-crazy anymore? Does that mean Papa’s _not_ good in bed and that’s why he gets mate-crazy?”

Vegeta spun, taking a wheezing breath, his eyes wide and a nostril hitched up in horror. “You little fuck! I’m very good in bed!”

Bulla booped Vegeta’s nose and said, “Mommy said no fucking!”

Vegeta’s rumbling laughter probably saved Trunks a light ass-kicking as he said, “You’re right, princess, maybe Mommy won’t get any fucking,” but then he turned his dark, terrifying glare back to Trunks. Trunks froze. Piccolo bumped into him and Trunks almost face-planted. But Trunks gulped nervously when he saw Piccolo wince and touch his belly where Trunks had inadvertently elbowed him. 

“Godsdamnit, Trunks!” Vegeta snarled and shoved him out of the way to press his hands on Piccolo’s belly. He spit out a fast line of Saiyan. Piccolo waved him off and said something back and squeezed Vegeta’s hand.

Vegeta’s wrath returned and he snarled at Trunks, “Be careful!”

“I wouldn’t have bumped him if you didn’t turn into a monster whenever I give you a little shit, Papa,” Trunks said and wished he could take all his words back. He thought maybe he was witnessing Vegeta transforming from normal Vegeta-crazy to Vegeta-mate-crazy.

Trunks took a hesitant step backwards as Vegeta bared his teeth at Trunks in an animal snarl. Trunks started to power up when Piccolo’s big body moved between them. “Don't test me, Vegeta. Don’t you dare,” Piccolo hissed.

“He hurt you,” Vegeta snapped.

“ _You_ hurt me by being vain. Settle down _now_ ,” Piccolo said in a voice scarier than Vegeta’s.

Vegeta shook himself like a dog and stomped off away from Trunks, Piccolo, and Bulma. Bulla rode along with Vegeta and Trunks heard her cooing to Vegeta soothingly and running her little hands through his wild hair. Trunks looked up at Piccolo, but he could tell, now, when he paid attention, when Vegeta and Piccolo were conversing telepathically, so Trunks kept his mouth shut.

Trunks used the opportunity to gradually shuffle backwards toward his suite. He would just sit outside and make sure no one bothered Goten. “Oh no you don’t, young man. Don’t think I don’t see you trying to sneak away after you set Vegeta off. He’s a wreck already! You can’t say shit like that to him while Piccolo’s knocked up.”

Piccolo said, “Oh give it a rest, Bulma. Stop coddling Vegeta and his fucking paranoia. You’re both exhausting me more than the godsdamned baby, even if it is on its way out.”

“Honey, don’t talk like that. What if he hears you?” Bulma said, turning quickly to see if Vegeta was out of earshot. Trunks took a few more steps toward his suite while they were distracted.

Piccolo rumbled, “One more step, Trunks, and I’ll sic Vegeta on you. I know how you’re feeling. I’ve had it too, but seriously, you don’t want to be like Vegeta on that front. And you don’t have to be, okay? You’ll only push Goten away if you keep it up. It hurts his feelings that you think he needs protecting.”

“Why don’t you focus on Vegeta not being crazy if you’re so worried about it?” Trunks said and even he didn’t like his tone.

Piccolo glowered. “Vegeta lost me. Someone _did_ take me. His crazy isn’t unfounded. Stop picking on him. You’re not going back to your room and if you don’t start trying to get it under control, you’re not going back at all. Goten doesn’t need to be dealing with mate-crazies while he’s pregnant.”

Trunks slumped and said, well, maybe whined, “I don’t know how to not feel this way, Picc…Dad.”

“If you’d listen for two minutes instead of snarking at Vegeta or trying to figure out how to slip away, I have been trying to tell you. First of all, you will get mate-crazy more when _you_ feel vulnerable or like you fucked up. Did you fuck up?”

Trunks put some actual thought into the question. “No. I don’t think so, anyway.”

“Okay. But it’s important to check yourself when you start to feel this way. Did you have a few minutes where you kind of knew that you were being paranoid, but then the paranoia won?”

“Yeah, yeah, now I can see that. He made a joke about other guys fucking him and—“

“Oh, yeah, that’ll do it, especially if you’re already feeling…inadequate.”

“Vegeta feels inadequate?” Trunks said, intrigued that his ego-driven father had ever felt that way.

Piccolo stopped and stared down at Trunks, his eyebrows scrunched together. “Have you _met_ Vegeta? Vegeta is a big, seething ball of insecurity, Trunks. He wraps it all up in a package of Saiyan pride and you get his unique flavor of Vegeta-hot-mess. Throw even a little something on that ember and it bursts into wildfire. Good gods…I should have tried harder to knock Bulma up…”

“Hey! I thought you loved me!”

“Of course I love you, Trunks. Gods. I love Vegeta too, but you two certainly try a sane man’s patience. Poor Goten, he didn’t know what he was getting into with you because you put on a better front than Vegeta.”

“Hey! Goten loves me!”

“Yeah, that’s kind of my point,” Piccolo said with a little snort of laughter.

“I’m really stressed out, okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t…I didn’t mean to upset you. I know you are too. But…” Trunks saw that Bulma had gotten ahead of them. Trunks stopped. His head actually felt clear now that he was thinking about something besides Goten. Really thinking about it. “I, um, I actually have a theory about your baby.”

Piccolo facepalmed. “Please, don’t. I’m trying to move on and it’s just…Please, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“No, really, I don’t think you need to move on. I think you’re having a Saiyan pregnancy.”

Piccolo uncovered his face. “What? That doesn’t make any sense. I’d carry a Saiyan hybrid just the way I’d carry a full-blooded Namekian.”

“Were Mom’s pregnancies nine months?” Trunks asked, following his hunch.

“No, you were ten and Bulla was six, what does that have to do with anything?” Piccolo said and crossed his massive arms. 

“Those sound like _Saiyan_ pregnancies to me, not human. So if Vegeta’s…ew…if Vegeta’s sperm made Mom’s human pregnancies look like Saiyan pregnancies, why not yours?”

Piccolo’s face scrunched up and he bit out, “I’m not doing this. I’m not…I’m not going to die inside again. I’m done. I’m at peace. If not for Vegeta’s fucking sense of smell, he would never have known and I could just pretend it wasn’t happening at all!” Piccolo’s eyes glazed and he covered his mouth with his hand and turned away from Trunks, leaning heavily on the railing.

Trunks gave Piccolo an awkward hug from the side. Piccolo was so tall, Trunks’s face jammed in Piccolo’s armpit. He could smell the pregnancy, too. Just like Goten’s. And Goten smelled more and more pregnant every day. 

“You would really keep that from your mate?” Trunks said softly, more curious than accusatory. Piccolo surprised Trunks by really hugging him, bending to push his face into Trunks’s hair. Trunks knew Piccolo was smelling him. He’d seen Vegeta and Bulma and Piccolo all do it with Bulla. Trunks wondered how often Piccolo had wanted to hug Trunks like this, to tell Trunks that he loved him, but never had thanks to Bulma and Vegeta’s bullshit. Trunks also felt the amount of energy Piccolo was expending not to cry. “Hey, Dad, it’s okay to cry. You’ve been through a lot. And I know you don’t want to hope, but I think I’m right.”

Piccolo kissed the top of Trunks’s head and straightened up, releasing Trunks. The big man’s eyes were red, but he wasn’t exactly crying. He took a big breath. “I tried to keep it from him. I wanted to save him the suffering. I hate seeing him suffer and our mating has been nothing but,” Piccolo choked out as he stared across the choppy sea. There were dark thunderheads far off on the horizon and Trunks wondered if it would be a rough night, if it would make Piccolo even sicker.

“That’s not true. He looks different now that he can be open about you. He looks happy when he looks at you, even though he’s obviously losing his shit about the pregnancy. I’ve never seen him happy except maybe when Bulla was born and when he’s kicking Goku’s ass while sparring.”

Piccolo turned back to Trunks, shaking his head, and said, “Back to mate-crazies. Just…try to catch them before they spiral. Those few minutes of sanity are a great time to kiss and touch their mark and get the hell away. Or the other. Don’t just hang around. It makes it worse.”

“The other?”

Piccolo gave Trunks a look like he was disappointed in how slow Trunks was being. Piccolo said, “Fuck him. Or get fucked, depending on your preference.”

“Gods. I never thought I’d have to know so much about my parents’ sex lives.”

“Ditto, kid. Fuck. Vegeta’s still in a snit. Come on. You can take over Bulla duty,” Piccolo said and waved Trunks along with him.

“Now? It’s like four-thirty.”

“Yeah, well, now I have a longer evening ahead of me thanks to your bullshit. You can babysit your sister for a night.”

“Will she really sleep through…the other?”

Piccolo smirked and raised an eyebrow at Trunks. “Yeah, usually. You better hope so, that girl loves asking questions.”

“I’m sorry I set Vegeta’s mate-crazies off.”

“He’s been on a pretty short fuse since he smelled me.”

“Did you hide it from him? Did you wait for him to smell it?”

“I half-ass hid it, but I know him well enough to know that wouldn’t work, but that it also wouldn’t end well if I tried too hard,” Piccolo said and Trunk could see his weariness. The strain around his eyes.

“If it’s not too gross…can I ask if you’re built…like us?”

“Nope, I’m not. Close enough, but I sort of have…both. Not the same as humans, but unless you want a lot of detail, that’s all I’ll say.”

“Will Goten give birth out his ass? That seems awful.”

“Yeah, apparently Saiyan hormones are some crazy shit. Vegeta says he’ll be alright.”

“Have…um…have you tried to knock my dad up too?”

“Yeah, we’ve tried everything,” Piccolo said and sighed.

“Do you think Saiyans and Namekians just have low fertility?”

“I have no fucking clue, Trunks.”

“Did anything change?”

Piccolo’s eyes slid to Trunks. “Why are you asking so many questions?”

“Well…if I’m right, and you’re having a Saiyan pregnancy, I’m curious about what might have triggered the change. It seems like it might be some kind of Saiyan hormonal shift. So I wondered if anything changed leading up to when you…when you conceived.”

Piccolo thought for a long time, his eyes flickering back and forth as he thought about something. He shook his head. “It…it doesn’t…No. Not really.”

“Did you ever have any miscarriages?”

“Not exactly, but…Fuck. Huh. Hey, go hang out with Bulla and your mom, no more mate-crazy today, okay?” Piccolo picked up his pace.

“Piccolo, come on, now I’m all curious!”

Piccolo stopped again and said, “How curious? Because it’s probably more detail than you want to hear about your fathers fucking.”

Trunks’s eyebrows shot up. The curious scientist in him screamed not to be squeamish, but the child in him tried to run away. “Okay. I’ll endure. Keep the details to a minimum.”

“Saiyans pair-bond with their tails. They wrap their tail around, well, usually another tail, but whatever body part of the person they choose to mate with. If there’s a claim situation, it’s not so much a choice, but the two aren’t the same. Nameks can also pair-bond intensely, depending on how we have sex. You sure you want to hear this?” Piccolo lifted a skeptical brow.

“Yeah, scientist me is winning,” Trunks said with horrified fascination.

“Vegeta and I pair-bonded the first day he came to Earth. We left the idiots while they waited for Goku—“

“So you just went behind some rocks and fucked? How? You _just_ met him. How could you be attracted to that little ball of angry hubris?”

Piccolo’s big lopsided smile would have been cute if it wasn’t about _Vegeta_. “He was adorable, all angry and strong and sarcastic and witty. The body on him. More importantly the booty on him, sweet fucking gods. I caught him making eyes at me right away and I smelled how horny he was—“

“Gross, less details!” Trunks cried.

Piccolo guffawed and said, “You asked how we got from meeting to fucking, what did you expect me to say, that we had a fucking cup of tea?”

“No, but…okay, fine, go on.”

“So when opportunity arose, I challenged him, we flew off, went to town, and pair-bonded like Nameks and he tail-twined with me. Which…should have gotten me pregnant.”

“But it didn’t?”

“Well…I think it did, actually. That’s what’s got me thinking. I’ll never know for sure because I got killed shortly thereafter.”

“Oh, shit, right,” Trunks said. The story of the great battle of Nappa and Vegeta was like folklore amongst Trunks’s parents’ friends. “So that’s the sort of miscarriage? Do you think being killed while you were pregnant somehow fucked things up?”

“No. I think him losing his tail fucked things up,” Piccolo said and loped off toward Vegeta, a strange light in his eyes.

“Okay…so…but…um…Papa still doesn’t have a tail, so…”

Piccolo got to Vegeta. Piccolo looked almost giddy as he said, “Hey, baby, I have a thought. I think I know what changed. You know how after Bulla…” Piccolo stopped, looked at Trunks and shooed him away.

“What? No! Come on! This is my theory too! I already had to hear that he smelled ‘horny,’ whatever the fuck that means,” Trunks grumbled.

Piccolo rolled his eyes and snapped, “Don’t blame me if you’re grossed out, then.”

Vegeta interrupted, glaring at Trunks, “How can you _not_ smell when Goten’s horny? He fucking _reeks_. It’s been a miserable few years with the whole house stinking of his desire for you.”

“Papa!” Trunks yelped, his face heating. “Well, get on with your gross crap, Dad. I want to go check on Ten in a normal, non-mate-crazy way.”

Piccolo lowered his voice and said, “So you know how we haven’t had sex with Bulma since Bulla was born—“

“You haven’t had sex with Mom in two years!?” Trunks screeched, horrified for his mother.

Vegeta turned a baleful gaze on Trunks and then a wicked smirk lit his face. “We didn’t say we haven’t sexually _pleasured_ your mother. We certainly eat her—“

“No! Enough! Point taken, fucking hell. Okay, I’ll be quiet!” Trunks cried, covering his ears.

Piccolo continued, “Baby, I think that’s part of it, but I think also it’s because of the thing we started doing right before the cruise. I never thought about your tail before, that you haven’t had your tail since that first time and maybe…maybe…I mean, you do…you do really like it, so maybe it’s triggered some hormonal thing?”

Vegeta’s eyes got wide. “Do…do you think this might be viable, then? If…if it is, maybe we should wish my tail back with the dragon balls!” Vegeta’s voice was so hopeful that Trunks wanted to hug _Vegeta,_ which basically never happened.

Piccolo smirked down at Vegeta before bending low and kissing him. “Let’s go back to the room, baby,” Piccolo said. Vegeta's hand was already on Piccolo's mark.

Trunks said, “Hold up, what tail thing? If you need a tail, why did Goten get pregnant?”

“Neither of you ever _had_ tails. Do you need more details or can I go be alone with my mate, boy? Do you want to come along for that too, hmm? Looking for pointers?” Vegeta said, grinning and more obviously groping Piccolo.

“Godsdamnit, Papa! Gross! Jeez, go, I was just trying to help!”

Vegeta strode over to Bulma and Trunks turned to Piccolo. “Hey, um, I hope it’s okay, Dad. I hope it works out. Try not to be too sad,” Trunks said and hesitantly leaned to hug Piccolo.

Piccolo’s eyes still widened and his mouth dropped open with surprise anytime Trunks called him “Dad,” but he teared up when Trunks hugged him. No dark glasses to hide it now. Trunks squeezed his surprise bonus father and when Vegeta came back, looking a little teary-eyed himself, Trunks said, smirking, “You two go have fun. Papa, do a good job.”

Vegeta’s cheeks turned maroon and he started spluttering, but Trunks took off back to his mate. He needed to apologize for his mate-crazies. But he also couldn’t wait to tell Goten his latest discoveries.


	11. Unwelcome Discoveries

Bulla was a nightmare through dinner and bedtime, claiming she was worried about Piccy and Daddy since she hadn’t seen them at all once Trunks fled along with Vegeta and Piccolo. Bulma griped that Trunks had skipped out of afternoon babysitting and her child-free night was looking to be a little lonelier than she anticipated.

Trunks finally got Bulla to bed around eight and flopped on his back on the bed, wanting nothing more than a leisurely session of sixty-nining, maybe a couple beers, since he and Goten could both easily pass as twenty-one, and a good night’s sleep. Trunks wanted his mind to shut down. He wanted to stop being a little sad that he and Goten never had tails. That they couldn’t twine their tails together. It had never occurred to him until Piccolo told him about Vegeta’s.

Goten straddled Trunks, grinding his hips against Trunks, who got hard immediately. “Whatcha thinking about, Daddy?”

Trunks ran his hands up and down Goten’s thighs. “Do you ever wish we had tails?”

“All the time! Can you imagine the fun we could get up to with our tails?” Goten reached inside Trunks’s shorts and said, “We could fuck each other at the same time, basically. My dad said what he remembers of his is that it had just a million nerves and he got all red and scratched the back of his neck a bunch, so you know he probably used it for dirty things.”

Goten’s hand jobs were frustratingly amazing. Trunks mustered all his intellectual power to speak to his best friend and mate instead of just nodding like a simpleton. “Ten…”

Goten grinned and said, “Daddy, I think you are powerless against my sexual prowess. Want to go fuck me out on the balcony and then soak in the hot tub for a bit?”

Trunks was yet again reduced to nodding because Goten’s relentless hand just found every single motion that drove Trunks wild. Trunks fought the orgasm that Goten ruthlessly pursued now that he’d seen Trunks squirming to try to free himself, speechless again. Trunks seized Goten’s forearm in both his hands and stopped him. He took a long, deep breath and said, “Baby…”

Goten crushed Trunks’s wrists in his other hand and pulled his hands away. He pinned his hands above his head. Trunks stammered, “I…baby…I want to be inside you.”

“Yeah?” Goten breathed, “I’m so wet for you right now, Daddy. I want to ride your cock, but I kind of want you to beg me to ride your cock.”

“Fuck, Ten, I…I can barely…”

“I know, but you talked dirty to me that first time you fucked me and I _liked_ it. So I want you to fucking beg, Daddy. Beg for my slick ass to grip your cock while you come.”

“Baby, holy shit, you have to stop talking that way,” Trunks managed to utter. He tried to struggle free, but not really. He liked this version of Goten, a strange blend of dominant and submissive that made Trunks pant. Trunks centered his mind like he did during a tough fight. He could do this, and it would be even hotter.

“Baby, take those fucking shorts off right now. I want to see your prick.”

“Beg me, Daddy.”

Trunks growled low in his throat and stilled his hips. “Take those shorts off, or I will punish you later.”

Goten’s eyes sparkled and he whispered, “No.”

Trunks flipped Goten easily. Goten had a bit more brute strength than Trunks, but Trunks always outmaneuvered his larger friend. Always being smaller made Trunks scrappy. He didn’t stop at getting on top of Goten, he rolled him onto his belly and dragged him to the edge of the bed. He yanked Goten’s shorts down, but left them around his knees. Trunks liked that, liked how frantic it felt. 

Trunks pinned Goten’s hands in the small of his back with one of Trunks hands. He bent over Goten, who was panting, his hips bucking back toward Trunks, but Trunks held his dick away from Goten. “Baby, I think you need to be punished now. I think I might have to gag that sexy fucking mouth of yours,” Trunks purred and curled his tongue into Goten’s ear before sucking the lobe. “You wet for me, baby?” He slapped Goten’s ass hard, earning a sweet, breathy cry.

“Daddy, I thought you wanted me to ride your cock?”

“I might still let you ride my cock, baby. You’re going to listen to me now, because you’re mine, you know that?”

“You better show me, Daddy. Show me who my Daddy is,” Goten gasped out, full on humping the bed. It turned Trunks on to watch.

But Trunks didn’t want Goten to be able to get off that way. He readjusted Goten so his hips pumping forward met nothing but air. Goten whined piteously. Trunks slapped his ass again. Trunks grabbed the sheet and tore a couple long strips off of it. He bound Goten’s hands together. He hooked his hands over Goten’s shoulders and pulled him back until he was on his knees facing the bed.

Trunks moved around in front of him with the other strip in his hands. He wanted to make sure Goten wasn’t distressed by the bondage. But Goten’s cheeks were flushed prettily, his eyes glimmering in the dim light, and his cock streamed pre-cum. Trunks caressed Goten’s jaw and said, “I’m gonna gag you, baby, do you want to put anything in your mouth before I do? Anything you want to say?”

Goten leaned forward and licked up the underside of Trunk’s hard-on and suckled the very tip for only a moment before he said, “Daddy, make me yours, remind me?”

“What will remind you baby? If I fuck you so hard your balls cramp, will that remind you? Maybe I’ll have to fuck you so slow that you don’t quite come, and then I’ll come all over you, and fuck you again, but you won’t get to come until I know that you know the answer when I ask: Who’s your daddy, baby?”

“My daddy fucks me just right, that I know,” Goten murmured and sucked Trunks’s length deep into his mouth while looking up at Trunks, his eyes half-lidded and hungry.

Trunks pulled Goten off his prick, even though his dick howled to fuck into that perfect heat and let Goten’s strong tongue race around his head. Trunks pushed the strip of cloth into Goten’s mouth and tied it tight beneath the base of Goten’s skull. He bent and whispered, “Tap your foot three times for a safe-word, okay?”

Goten’s eyes widened, a little apprehensively, Trunks thought. He wondered how BDSM Goten wanted him to go. Trunks wasn’t sure either, all of this being completely new territory for him, having never so much as restrained a girl’s hands. Trunks wanted to reassure his mate some so he dropped to his knees in front of Goten and tipped his chin up to kiss along his jawline, nipping at him some, enjoying the sharp intake of breath when he licked the shell of Goten’s ear. His mouth dragged down Goten’s throat and chest to his left nipple. Trunks bit it lightly, reaching around Goten to press his body against Trunks’s mouth to suck the nipple until it was a pebbled nub of flesh. 

Trunks grazed his teeth over the muscular curve of Goten’s pecs to suck his other nipple. When that one was hard too, his tongue sought out the cleft between Goten’s ab muscles and followed it down, tongue-fucking Goten’s navel along the way. Goten groaned into the gag as Trunks licked at Goten’s cock, never putting it in his mouth, just licking it everywhere, licking his sac, tonguing his taint, and finding that Goten was very wet, wet enough that it was slick all the way to his balls.

“Baby, you’re soaked. You want me to fuck you?”

Goten’s eyes were eager and excited, but he made a big show of shrugging noncommittally. Trunks moved behind him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He hoisted Goten up under his arm. Goten giggled through the gag and Trunks hauled him outside. He pushed Goten’s chest down on top of the cover on the hot tub. 

Trunks kissed all over Goten’s back and shoulders. Trunks slapped Goten’s ass hard, both sides, before gripping those firm, muscular cheeks and pressing them tight together as he ran his cock along the cleft. Goten moaned loudly when Trunks pressed his head against Goten’s pucker. Trunks pulled back and gave Goten another good smack on the ass. The swat elicited the same response as his prick and Trunks couldn’t decide if he liked that or it made him angry.

“You don’t want my cock, huh, baby? You just want me to slap your ass til it’s bruised?”

Goten cast a mischievous glance over his shoulder and said, around the gag, “‘Ike ‘ou ‘ould b’uise ‘y a.’”

“What did you say, baby? Do you think your Daddy can’t bruise that rock hard ass of yours?”

Goten’s smirk was visible around the gag. Trunks sank his cock deep and hard in Goten as he spanked Goten with a lot of force, making Goten squeak. Trunks watched Goten’s feet as he drove himself into his mate again and again, matching each thrust with a powerful blow to Goten’s ass. Goten’s asshole began to twitch as he mewled around the gag. Trunks purred, “You remember who your Daddy is, baby?”

Goten shook his head. Trunks loved this game. He fucked Goten viciously on the hot tub until he heard it start to unmoor from the bolts that held it to the balcony. He whipped his cock out of Goten, who whimpered and looked over his shoulder at Trunks. Trunks put Goten upright on his knees and paused to bite Goten’s claim. Goten’s rumbling growl and the way his dick bobbed with pre-cum dripping out onto the deck made Trunks even more aroused than he already was. 

He moved Goten’s knees wider apart so he could really fuck up into his mate hard. Trunks moved behind Goten and teased his opening, slipping his head in and out of the slick heat. Every time Goten’s hips lurched back to take more, Trunks spanked him hard, the sound of skin on skin echoing out over the increasingly rough waves.

“Who’s your Daddy?” Trunks whispered.

Goten mumbled what Trunks interpreted as _I can’t remember_. Trunks continued only giving Goten a taste of his cock, all while brushing his fingertips over Goten’s rock-hard shaft. He tugged Goten’s balls a little while giving him a series of sharp slaps on the ass and Goten whimpered, bucking back hard. Trunks dodged him every time. Trunks kept one hand on Goten’s sac and clutched Goten with his other arm, digging his fingertips into Goten’s claim. Goten moaned and writhed, but Trunks tucked his cock up so Goten had it between his cheeks, but Goten wouldn’t be able to get the penetration he sought.

Trunks danced his fingers along the bite mark, sucking and kissing and nipping over Goten’s shoulders, all while palming his mate’s balls. When Goten was whimpering pretty constantly, Trunks whispered, his lips on Goten’s ear. “Who’s your Daddy?”

Trunks felt Goten’s resolve collapse and he groaned. “‘Ou ‘re, ‘ou ‘re, ‘addy. ‘Uck ‘e, ‘ease, ‘uck ‘e ‘ar.’”

“That’s right, I am your Daddy. I’m gonna take care of you baby. You want me to fuck you so hard you shoot of your cum right out into the sea?”

Goten nodded frantically. Trunks scooted them a little to change their angle and slid slowly up into Goten’s tight, trembling, absolutely sopping ass. Trunks moaned and bit Goten’s trap as he gave his mate a few shallow pulses. “You ready, baby?”

Goten moaned and slammed his hips back against Trunks. Trunks’s let his chi soar up to super Saiyan, which made his cock grow a little and proceeded to jackhammer into Goten, clutching his body upright so he couldn’t escape Trunks’s savage thrusts. Goten wailed as Trunks slapped his ass too, and his mate didn’t last long before long, pearly streamers of cum shot out through the railing and into the darkness over the sea.

“Make me come with that tight ass, baby. Give me your fucking ass!” Trunks growled as Goten’s ass clenched and gripped his cock until his orgasm swept through him and he came inside his mate, crying out again at the strange, ephemeral pleasure of having his seed deep in Goten’s core.

Goten’s deep, throaty purr told Trunks that it felt amazing for his mate too, that his cum was appreciated. Trunks eased his thrusting and untied Goten’s hands and gag. Goten pulled off Trunks and spun into his arms, kissed him frantically, panting, and murmured, “Fuck, Daddy, that was incredible. I like pissing you off a little when you’re gonna fuck me.”

“Mmm…I like slapping that ass of yours, Ten. Fuck, you feel so good on my prick, baby. So good. I didn’t know _anything_ could feel as good as your ass on me.”

They kissed tenderly for a long time. Trunks sat back on his haunches and Goten straddled him, holding his face, pausing only to smile dreamily at Trunks. Trunks took ahold of Goten’s prick again when they heard something next to their balcony slam and two gravelly voices that were very familiar.

“Fuck, I need it, now, now, now, fuck me, baby, now!” Piccolo groaned.

A screed of fast Saiyan answered him and something thudded repeatedly against the wall separating Trunks and Goten’s balcony from the one next door. “You’re _vkai_ , _minaiya. Vku-karam. Vku-tseeka_. Gods I love fucking your sheath, _minaiya_ , how do you feel this fucking good?” Vegeta growled in between panting breaths, “You’re going to have my baby, _minaiya_. _Vkai._ ”

“Don’t give me hope, baby,” Piccolo moaned and gasped, “Harder, fuck me harder.”

Trunks tugged at hair in horror and tried to lift Goten up, but Goten was smiling and stifling giggles as he mouthed, “Your dads are fucking!”

“I know, I don’t want to know that!”

Goten covered his mouth with his hand to hide his laughter and then poked Trunks. Trunks stood, trying to be silent, because the only thing that he could imagine being worse than hearing his fathers fuck was having his fathers catch him hearing them fuck.

Trunks whispered, “Come on!”

Goten shook his head and wiggled his eyebrows, waving Trunks inside. Trunks didn’t want his mate to listen to his dads fuck either. To Trunks’s increased horror he heard Vegeta make a high pitched noise of pleasure and Piccolo laughed and said, “Yeah, and you gave me shit for this, you know you fucking love it, and now we’re having a baby because you finally fucking indulged me. You’re so fucking stubborn, my love.”

“Gods, my heart, stop or you’ll…stop, I’m going to come if you keep doing that!”

“I want you to come, baby. Fill me up. Fuck me like a Saiyan! If I wanted to get fucked by a human, I’d have Bulma use the strap-on.”

Trunks gasped, “Gross!” and slapped his hands over his mouth too late. The vicious thumping and the breathy speaking stopped suddenly.

Vegeta snarled, “You fucking pervert, Trunks! Why are you listening to us fuck?”

Goten cried, “We were out here fucking, you interrupted us, Vegeta!”

“I told Bulma not to get suites side by side!” Piccolo muttered and then said, “Go inside you two or I’ll kill you both!”

Trunks didn’t have to be told twice, but Goten obviously wanted to keep listening and to Trunks’s increased horror, Goten had a huge erection. “Dude, that’s my parents!”

“Come on, man, you have to admit—“

“I do not! Gross! I’m going inside!” Trunks screeched and hurried into their room to take a shower so he could forget the weirdness of hearing his dad fuck his newly discovered other dad.

Before he even finished showering, Goten hauled him out of the shower, sucking and kissing and licking all over his wet skin. Trunks cried, “Hey!”

“Come on, Daddy, you’re not done for the night, are you?”

“No, but—“

Goten’s mouth smothered his excuses, kissing him insistently as Goten palmed his balls before his fingers danced backward as Goten bent lower to be able to reach Trunks. “I need to fuck you, Daddy. I want to—“

“Yuck, are you all turned on by—“

“Dude, come on, just let me fuck you, I’m turned on by how well you fucked me,” Goten said, and even though it sounded like he was going to say more, Trunks was relieved when he didn’t.

Goten had lube already in the bathroom. He shut the door and lubed his fingers. He hoisted Trunks up on the countertop and shoved him back, tilting his hips up as he unceremoniously slid a finger inside Trunks. Trunks expected it to hurt it was so sudden, but a throaty moan escaped him instead.

“Yeah, Daddy, you can say you don’t want my cock all you want, but I know you do. I know you need me inside you.”

“Ten…Fuck…” Trunks gasped as Goten pushed a second finger inside him, scissoring them with every thrust. 

“Relax for me, Daddy. Relax. Gods, you are so tight,” Goten purred and his head was nudging at Trunks’s bud already, slick and wet. 

He teased Trunks until Trunks was mewling and begging, “Please, baby, fuck me. Please. You wanted me to beg, right? I’m pleading, please, I need you inside me, baby.” Trunks no longer even cared if he sounded pathetic because it felt that way: a physical need. That base, animal desire swamped Trunks and he would have done almost anything to get Goten’s big, hard cock inside himself.

Goten tucked his chin and cried out as he plunged balls deep into Trunks on the counter, lifting and shifting Trunks so he could drive into him without smacking his balls on the edge. Goten growled in frustration at the angle and just lifted Trunks by his ass. He lifted Trunks on and off his cock as effortlessly as if he were jerking himself off. Trunks _loved_ how strong his mate was. The way Goten moved Trunks like he weighed nothing turned him on more until Goten panted out, “It feels like you’re getting wet for me, Daddy. It’s so fucking hot!”

Trunks wanted to not let that bother him, but he wrapped his legs tight around Goten to stop his thrusting. “What? Seriously?”

Goten’s eyes were dazed and he took the opportunity to carry Trunks out to the bed. “I don’t know, you’re full of lube, it’s probably just that, but you’re so slick, Trunks. It’s amazing.”

“But…what…what if I get knocked up?” Trunks said, the very thought filling him with icy fear.

“You want me to pull out and come on you, Daddy?”

Trunks was immediately hot again. He grinned and said, “Yeah! Fuck yeah, baby!”

“Mmm…okay, but I want to pound you like this first,” Goten growled and twisted Trunks on his cock effortlessly. He put Trunks on all fours on the bed and pistoned into him.

The sweet place that Goten found in Trunks earlier that day made him moan and cry out with every thrust. “Ten, make me come, baby. I’m so close, make me come!”

Goten startled Trunks again, yanking him off Goten’s prick, flipping him onto his back and thrusting a lot of his hand into Trunks’s ass. Goten stroked his own cock furiously as he pushed what felt like all four fingers into Trunks’s ass. Trunks’s immediate thought was that Goten was going to hurt him, but Trunks opened himself with some effort and then it started to feel good. Really good. Good enough that Trunks began contemplating Goten fisting him, the way his knuckles would rub inside Trunks. The thought of Goten doing that to him, the prep and the care it would require, was so hot that Trunks gasped, “Come, Ten, come on your Daddy.”

Trunks’s balls clenched and when Goten’s cum splattered all over Trunks, painting him in thick white streaks from belly button to chin, Trunks’s own giz erupted out of him. The mess increased as Goten pushed hard on Trunks’s prostate, making Trunks bellow as more shot out on him.

Goten purred, “That’s right, Daddy. Come for me. I’m going to make you come until your balls cramp.” Goten thrust his hand harder and basically vibrated his fingers against Trunks’s p-spot. 

Trunks was spent but the exhaustion filled with the strange, blooming sensation of another climax rumbling over top of the aftershocks from the first. It was such a novel feeling that Trunks yelped. Goten’s face was smug, but tense with concentration as he found the spot again, and this time, he lit it up with a pulse of chi and Trunks screamed.

The second orgasm had felt like a complimentary wave to his first, but this, what Goten had just pulled out of Trunks was so intense and fast, a simultaneous clench and release of every muscle in his body, that it didn’t surprise him when he tasted his own cum as another rope jetted out of him, hitting his own face. Goten tapped the spot a final few times, each with a little flare of chi, and Trunks whimpered in defeat. “No more, oh gods, no more, Ten.”

Goten hummed happily and bent to kiss Trunks before he went to the bathroom. Goten emerged with a wet and dry towel, screeched, and covered his junk. Trunks lurched upright and covered his own still-hard cock with both hands. 

Bulla rubbed her eyes in the doorway of their bedroom. “Ten-ten, why are you naked and sweaty?” she asked with a yawn. “Did you and Trunksy have a fight? I heard screaming.”

“Go back to bed, Bulla! I stubbed my toe,” Trunks said, hoping that his curious sister would just take his lie for the truth and leave.

Bulla stared at him and said, “Why are you naked, Trunksy? Why do you have icing on you? Do you have cookies?”

Bulla padded toward Trunks, but Goten was quick in thought and body. Goten yanked on a pair of Trunks’s shorts and scooped Bulla up before she could get close to Trunks. “It’s shampoo. We got in a fight and I sprayed him with shampoo. We were fighting about the shower, that’s why we’re naked. Go back to bed, princess.”

“Be quiet, Trunksy! No more screaming! It’s shitty to scream when people are sleeping!” Bulla commanded, sounding exactly like her sperm-father.

Goten closed her in her room after singing her a song. Goten returned to Trunks, closing and locking the door before he leaned back against it. His eyes found Trunks’s and he started snickering. He crept over to Trunks and pushed him onto his back. He whispered, “You are covered in icing, aren’t you, Daddy? Just coated in it.”

“What the hell _was_ that, Ten? Fucking hell, I…I have never come like that, like multiples times, and I have tried.”

“I just got to thinking about what a little bit of chi might do when applied correctly. And I know you’re good at sensing chi, but I’m pretty good at wielding it.”

“I’ll say. Fuck, baby, that was amazing,” Trunks said with a happy sigh. Trunks decided to be brave. There was no sense hiding his desires from his mate anyway, so he said quietly, “Have…um…have you ever…ever…um…you know…”

“Spit it out, dude. You’re so cute that you let me fluster you after spending our whole lives together. Look at your pink cheeks,” Goten said and giggled as he kissed each of Trunks’s cheeks.

Trunks mumbled, “Have you ever fisted someone?”

Goten grinned broadly and he said, “Noooo, but now I want to fist somebody. One particular somebody.”

Trunks continued, “Have you been fisted?”

“Noooo…but with the way I get wet now…I kinda want to try,” Goten said and he bounced on the bed, still astride Trunks, who looked like a Pollock painting of “shampoo.”

“Not tonight, baby, I’m wiped out. You know how to wear a man out, Ten,” Trunks said and smirked as he kissed his mate.

Goten cleaned Trunks off as best he could. They snuggled in bed together, Goten pulled Trunks half onto his chest and said, “It sounds like they have a lot of fun even after all these years.”

“What?” Trunks said, lifting his head a little, nudging his leg in between Goten’s.

Goten glanced at him and smirked. “Your dads. I know you think it’s gross, but it’s pretty cool that they still like fucking each other that much after so many years, right?”

“Ten! Ew! I don’t want to talk about that! I want to wash that out of my brain! Gross!”

“You’re so squeamish, dude. Now I’m just going to try to catch them to freak you out.”

“No! Please do not do that!”

“What do you think the thing Piccolo does is that Vegeta had, uh, mixed feelings about?”

“Stop it!” Trunks said, clamping his hands over his ears. Goten’s laughter came through. Trunks kept his ears covered as he said, “Some weird bullshit with his tail scar, I bet, from the way they were talking when they were figuring out why they’re suddenly able to conceive.”

“Maybe if they wish his tail back we should word the wish so we get our tails too,” Goten said, pressing his fingertips against Trunks’s tailbone.

Trunks uncovered his ears. “Hey, yeah, I like that idea, baby. Though how am I going to work and stuff with a tail?”

“Eh, I bet people would get over it pretty quick once they see how smart you are,” Goten said. He ran his fingers up and down Trunks’s back. “I’m so tired, Daddy. Let’s get some sleep, huh? I’m totally making fun of your dads tomorrow. Twice now I’ve caught them!”

Trunks groaned miserably, buried his face in his mate’s broad, beautiful chest, and said, “I love you, baby, but I’m going to run away when you do that.”

“Love you too, Daddy. G’night.”


	12. Back on Dry Land

Trunks, despite his cringe-y feelings about hearing his fathers fucking, was unable to quell his curiosity about what sort of tail play had potentially led to Piccolo’s sudden fertility. Trunks’s intrigue was particularly piqued by the fact that Piccolo was the barren party all along, as evinced by Trunks and Bulla’s existences. Yet Vegeta had been unable to get pregnant either, so maybe the tail had some kind of ovulation-triggering chemical that was unnecessary for human females since they had regular ovulation? Did Trunks and Goten not require such a thing because of their human DNA? Were humans just one of the species that could breed with tailless Saiyans? It would seem to be the case since Goku had produced two demi-Saiyan sons. Gohan had also bred without a tail and he was a demi-Saiyan born with a tail.

Trunks truly didn’t want to spend so much time thinking about his fathers fucking, but he always loved a good science puzzle. He discussed it with Bulma, but Bulma would only divulge that after Bulla’s birth, Vegeta’s suffering from not having a baby with his mate had made actually putting his dick in Bulma or watching Piccolo do the same unbearable. Bulma didn’t even seem bothered by it. When Trunks tentatively asked why, Bulma giggled and said, “Oh, I have no complaints on that front, Trunks. Saves me needing birth control, saves a mess, and you have never experienced anything until you’ve experienced Namekian tongue.”

“Yuck!” Trunks yelped.

“You pry into our sex-life and breeding and then get all whiny? Gods, sweetie, grow up,” Bulma said, and as if to prove her point, allowed the life-guard coming off shift to ogle her and flirt. 

Neither Vegeta nor Piccolo seemed to care in the least that Bulma openly reveled in other men hitting on her as they tossed a squealing Bulla back and forth in the pool. If anything Trunks thought they appeared to find it enjoyable. The fact that Bulla was flying easily thirty feet in the air made most people stare in horror at Trunks’s fathers, reducing the number of Bulma’s gawkers.

Trunks moved his gaze to Goten up in some weird outdoor fitness class that was ridiculously easy. Goten did it more for laughs than anything. Trunks saw that the women watched Goten like a piece of fine European chocolate being unwrapped. He narrowed his eyes, but he felt the mate-crazies coming on, as they had several times since the original experience, and he said to Bulma, “I’m going in the ocean.”

“Aw, are you getting jealous of all those human ladies eye-fucking your man, sweetie?” Bulma said with a sweet smile.

“Mom! Stop it! I…I’m feeling…a little…Look, I just need to go. Dad said I should go when I start to, you know, feel crazy.”

“Yeah, you should. I’ll tell Goten where you went when he comes down.”

Trunks leapt off the side of the ship. There were less screams every time a member of Trunks’s family did it, but the first few times had caused panic. Vegeta was careful to only come back onboard via their balcony. Diving and not dying was one thing, but flying would garner more attention even than Piccolo’s towering green presence. 

Trunks tried to burn off the building pressure in his brain and belly by swimming in enormous, rapid laps around the entire cruise ship. He dove as deep as he could without getting the bends, and came back up over and over until the sense of panicked possession subsided. Vegeta was right, being so in love was not easy or necessarily pleasant.

Trunks always felt hungover from the mate-crazies, even when he pulled out of them before he spiraled completely into irrational paranoia. He launched back up to their balcony, rinsed off in the shower, and went back out to try to enjoy the last day of their cruise. They docked early the next morning and would return to whatever the new normal would look like. 

All three of Trunks’s parents felt that the first order of business was to invite the Son family over for dinner and break the news of Trunks and Goten’s mating and pregnancy. Neither Goten nor Trunks wanted to do it, but Bulma said there was no way she was harboring a fugitive Son under her roof. It seemed like the best time to inform them that Piccolo was pregnant too, and reveal the longtime three-way that had been going on in the shadows since Vegeta first came to Earth.

Trunks dreaded all of it. He wished that he and Goten could stay on the cruise ship forever, just lounging around loving each other. They both started back at school in another week. Goten and Bulma had been scheming about how to best hide his pregnancy as long as possible, and what reason they would give for pulling him from school when it got too obvious.

Once Trunks’s mind had none of the screaming haze of mate-craziness, he found Goten with Piccolo, chatting in the pool, scrutinizing each other’s stomachs. “Hey, baby, how was your class?”

“Funny. Humans really are weak. It’s hilarious. I heard you got a little worked up though, are you okay, Daddy?” Goten asked and Trunks appreciated that he seemed genuinely concerned, not like he was mocking Trunks’s propensity for mate-craziness.

“Yeah, I’m good, baby,” Trunks said, kissing Goten and pulling their bodies together.

Piccolo said, “Trunks, did you see Vegeta anywhere when you were de-crazying?”

“No, I didn’t. Huh. I don’t feel him either. Why would he suppress his chi?”

Piccolo narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know. He’s been shifty the past couple days and keeps disappearing without telling me where he’s going.” Piccolo looked jittery to Trunks, like maybe he teetering on the brink of his own bout of mate-crazies. 

Trunks decided changing the subject might bring Piccolo down. Trunks didn’t know why, but he imagined the rare occasions Piccolo got mate-crazy were probably pretty epic. Piccolo seemed like a biter, too. Trunks shivered, imagining Piccolo tearing people apart with those sharp fangs, all in a rage over Vegeta. It was almost hilarious that anyone liked Vegeta that way.

Piccolo glared at him. Perhaps Trunks was thinking too loudly. He held up his hands and said, “Sorry! Hey, um, how’s the morning sickness? His chi’s even bigger today, Dad.”

“Yeah, Bulma said she has an ultrasound at Capsule Corp so we can check it out as soon as we get home. I’m so ready to be off this fucking boat,” Piccolo said, somehow looking even greener and pasty at the same time.

“You think Papa maybe just has extra mate-crazies because you’re pregnant?” Trunks realized he was speaking too loudly when a few people turned and scrutinized their all male trio.

Piccolo was unfazed, probably from a lifetime of being gawked at constantly. “Maybe. It’s pissing me off,” Piccolo said ominously.

“Um, you want me to try to find him?” Trunks offered, not knowing how he would go about finding Vegeta but willing to try because Piccolo seemed so distressed by Vegeta’s spontaneous disappearances. It angered Trunks that Vegeta did this to Piccolo. Trunks knew that Vegeta must know it would stress his mate out to disappear.

“No, kid, but thanks. He always comes back. He’s like a fucking cat. Shit, Bulla’s losing her temper and Bulma is going to get knocked over—“ Piccolo said, hoisting himself out of the pool.

“I got it, Dad, stay buoyant and relax. I got it,” Trunks said and hopped out of the pool. He strode over to where Bulma foolishly had Bulla on the toddler playground instead of the big kid playground.

“No, Mommy! I’m not a weakling!” Bulla shouted and her hair flickered blond. Trunks walked faster, bent low, and scooped Bulla up. When had Bulla started going super-Saiyan?

Trunks said, “Hey, Bulla, do you want to help me see if Ten-Ten can swim laps with both of us on his back?”

“Of course he can, silly Trunksy, he’s a Saiyan!”

“Yeah, but remember how he’s growing a baby like Dad?”

“Daddy is growing a baby?”

“Sorry, like Piccy.”

Trunks winked at his mom and took Bulla to play in the big pool. Bulma was definitely pulling extra Bulla duty since Piccolo and Vegeta had had the realization that the pregnancy might be viable. Trunks initially felt bad for his mother, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought she could do a little extra Bulla duty after all the crap she’d put Piccolo and Vegeta through. Trunks too, though he tried not to whine about it, even when he felt whiny.

Goten happily helped Trunks distract Bulla. Piccolo took turns playing with her too, but Trunks could see him battling the mate-crazy stress. Trunks could feel him searching too, reaching out for even the slightest trace of Vegeta’s chi, but it was like Vegeta was truly gone, like when he had self-destructed with Buu.

It was clear that Piccolo felt this way too. Trunks said, “Hey, Dad,” and touched Piccolo’s shoulder. Piccolo’s eyes were intense, and the searching feel emanating from Piccolo reached a frantic, buzzing pitch. “Hey, it’ll be okay. He always comes back, right?”

“It’s never been this long. Never. I…I need to go look for him,” Piccolo said, running a hand over his face.

“No, you stay here, okay? I’ll go look around. Do you have any idea where he might be?”

Piccolo shook his head. “Trunks, it’s fine. He’s my fucking mate. I’ll go find him. Why would he do this? What if something happened to him?” Piccolo’s chi started to spike and Trunks knew there was a real danger of Piccolo losing his shit.

“No, remember, strongest in the universe and all that? He’s fine. I bet he’s doing something special for you. Maybe he’s doing all the baby shopping or something like that.”

Piccolo turned a baleful glare on Trunks. “Vegeta would never shop for anything. Never. He would politely concede to Goku before he’d voluntarily go shopping.”

“Well…whatever he’s doing, he’s safe. I think you need to meditate or something,” Trunks said, trying to get Piccolo to make eye-contact.

Piccolo’s breathing was erratic and Trunks could see he was about to fly off. He shouted, “Ten, you got Bulla? We got a situation developing.” Goten gave him a thumbs up from where Bulla was dunking him with squealing laughter. Trunks had a brief flare of terror that Bulla would accidentally drown Goten, but he could hear Goten’s chuckles when he popped back out of the water.

Trunks took Piccolo’s elbow and got him out of the pool, rushed him to his parents’ suite, and said, “Hey, Dad, man, you gotta slow your roll or shit is going to get out of hand. Do you normally get mate-crazies? That seems like more of a Vegeta thing. You don’t do it too, do you?”

Piccolo tried to take a few deep breaths and then he spread his hand over his belly, doubling over with a surprised noise of distress. “Fuck…Where is he?”

Piccolo’s chi continued to careen upward. It battered Trunks. The chi waves that rolled off Piccolo were so strong Trunks had to block. Trunks barked, “Dad—the baby! What if you’re hurting the baby with your crazy chi?”

Piccolo powered down, still clutching his stomach. He looked like he was in physical pain. He burst into tears and Trunks shouted, “Shit, are you okay? I can go look for him, but you have to calm down, I can’t leave you like this!”

“Why isn’t he here?” Piccolo said and sobbed, “What if he left me again? What if he left forever this time?”

“What? He would never leave you. He’ll be back. He would never leave you.”

Piccolo choked out, “But he did. For over a fucking year, he left me. Now he’s doing it again!” Piccolo’s eyes were huge and his pupils were blown wider than Trunks had ever seen them. His features twisted down with anguish and Trunks’s heart hurt to see his newfound father in so much pain—pain that was a lingering effect of Piccolo choosing Trunks as a son over Vegeta as a mate.

Trunks rubbed his big, broad back and said, “No, remember, that was because of me. He’d never do that again, never. I know him and he would never do that.”

Piccolo’s body shook and he clutched at his belly again. “What if he’s hurt? What if he’s hurt and I’m just sitting here?”

Trunks opened his mouth to speak, but something threw him against the wall like he was a wet rag. It took Trunks so entirely off guard that it actually hurt. Who on the boat could even lift Trunks? He scrambled to his feet, ready to defend Piccolo in his vulnerable, unstable state, but Vegeta had Piccolo on his hips, Piccolo’s long limbs wrapped around Vegeta’s compact body, and Vegeta kissed all over Piccolo’s face.Vegeta muttered in Saiyan, touching Piccolo’s chin and belly with one hand, holding him up with the other. 

Vegeta was in his blue form, which explained why they couldn’t sense him, but left Trunks curious why Vegeta needed that level of transformation for anything on Earth. Trunks stayed motionless against the wall. Fear tickled up his spine that if both his fathers were in the throes of mate-crazies, Trunks might end up dead. He sidled quietly toward the door while they whispered to each other in words Trunks couldn’t understand.

“Trunks, are you alright?” Vegeta said before Trunks could escape.

“Yeah, I’m, uh…I’m just gonna head out.”

Neither of his fathers said anything, so he slipped out the door. He pressed his ear to it though, wanting to know where Vegeta had been.

“What the fuck, Vegeta? You can’t do that to me! I’m…I’m…” Piccolo’s voice thickened again, “You know what, fuck you! Get out!”

“I’m sorry, _minaiya_. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Then tell me where you went!”

Vegeta said, “I just needed some air. The past two weeks have been a lot. I haven’t adjusted completely to everything being out in the open—“

Piccolo’s voice was desperate as he interrupted, “Why are you suppressing your chi then? I’ll leave you be if you want to be alone—“

“I wasn't suppressing my chi, I forgot that you can’t sense me well when I go blue. I don’t want to be alone, my heart. I just…Trust me, please? I will tell you soon. Just trust me for a little longer.”

“Tell me when you’re leaving, at least, _atheanna_. When you think you’ll be back. Slipping off while I was napping, Vegeta? Super shitty. It felt like…like…You know,” Piccolo said, his voice cracking again.

“No, my heart. Never that. I learned my lesson from that eternal year in hell.”

“Did you?”

“Piccolo,” Vegeta’s voice was rough too, like maybe Vegeta was in tears as well, “I need you. Don’t be mad at me…” Trunks pressed his ear harder to the door, trying to hear what they were saying as their voices got quieter.

Trunks thought they’d shifted to speaking telepathically until a fleshy thud hit the door and his ear was filled with the sound of two men panting for breath as the door creaked in a regular rhythm. Vegeta groaned, “ _Minaiya_ …”

Trunks ripped himself away from the door and sprinted back to the pool. Didn’t they even believe in foreplay? Maybe Vegeta and Piccolo _were_ fucking all the time and Trunks had been in complete denial. It irritated Trunks a little that they seemed to have sex more often than Trunks and Goten. But Trunks smirked, ready to grab his mate and get their numbers up.

* * *

Trunks was relieved as they disembarked the next morning that Vegeta hadn’t disappeared again. Trunks thought of Piccolo as sane and collected, so Piccolo’s rapid devolution into what was almost a miscarriage was frightening. Trunks glanced Piccolo who angrily took his own suitcase that morning when Bulma tried to get Trunks to carry it. Trunks’s secret father looked frayed, battered by inner turmoil.

The slight swell in Piccolo’s lower abdomen was more pronounced now, but Trunks doubted it was noticeable to anyone who didn’t see him every day. Goten’s little bump made Trunks’s stomach flutter with pride and excitement until he thought about Goku and ChiChi, then it morphed into flutters of terror. Bulma had already arranged for Goku, ChiChi, Gohan, Videl, and Pan all to come to dinner that evening.

Vegeta led their unique family into an alley and snarled, “We’re flying, woman, I’m not doing a fucking plane again, that was ridiculous. Piccolo is too tall for that, but especially when he’s with child.”

“Fine, Vegeta, I just wish you’d pitched your fit before I spent thousands of dollars on tickets,” Bulma said, rubbing her temples.

Vegeta bit out, “You didn’t even consult me!”

“Well, whose fault is that, Vegeta? Hmm? You said, and I quote, ‘I don’t give a shit, do what you want, woman, just stop bothering me with the minutiae,’” Bulma said in a remarkably accurate impression of Vegeta.

Vegeta made a sour face and pressed Piccolo, who held Bulla, against his side and took off. Bulma shouted, “Godsdamnit, Vegeta! Piccolo can fly but I can’t!”

“Use your fucking tickets!” Vegeta snapped, and was gone.

“Asshole!” Bulma yelled after them.

Trunks sighed. “It’s okay, Mom, I’ll carry you. Baby, you okay with your suitcase or you want to help me strap all three together?”

“Knock it off, Daddy. Of course I can carry my suitcase, and Bulma’s too. Carry her and your own. Let’s go, I need to get in the right frame of mind to face my parents,” Goten said and blazed off.

Trunks hooked his arm around his mother’s waist and trailed the rest of his family, wondering why they were all so fucking crabby when they were all getting what they wanted. Bulma tried to talk to him, but he flew faster so the wind made conversation impossible.

Touching down he found Bulla playing on her fortified, theoretically Saiyan-proof playground while Vegeta and Piccolo made out on the side. “Jeez, do they have to do that right out here?” Trunks grumbled.

Bulma said, “Don’t begrudge them their happiness after all these years. Piccolo’s still stressed about Vegeta’s inexplicable absences.”

“What do you think he was doing?”

“Gathering the dragon balls, I would guess,” Bulma said with a shrug.

“Did he have the radar?” Trunks said, agreeing that this was the most obvious explanation.

Trunks was uncertain how he should feel about the starry-eyed way Goten was watching Piccolo and Vegeta approach R-rated territory in their PDA. Trunks face-palmed as Vegeta’s hand slipped inside the front of Piccolo’s shorts. Bulma lowered her shades and watched. Trunks said, “Well, did he have the radar? I don’t want to stick around and see where this leads.”

“No, but Vegeta’s a resourceful guy, so who knows. Wow, they are really going to town. Okay, I better go send them inside or at least away from Bulla,” Bulma said and walked toward Trunks’s fathers. “Hey, you two, do I need to get the hose or can you go somewhere farther from our daughter?”

Piccolo shoved Vegeta behind himself and lowered into fighting stance, snarling at Bulma with his fangs out. “Fuck off!”

“Honey, I’m not after Vegeta. Remember Bulla? She’s about ten feet away, you can’t do what you guys are obviously going to do in front of her. Go on, shoo,” Bulma said. Trunks admired how unafraid his mother was because Piccolo was terrifying like that. There was no higher order brain function in that green head, only animal instinct to protect his mate.

Vegeta bent and pressed his mouth to Piccolo’s mating mark and Piccolo settled down a little. He still glared at Bulma, backing into Vegeta, pulling Vegeta back toward the house with him. 

Bulla’s high pitched voice rang out, “Hey, Trunksy! Daddy’s the ass-kisser! Did you see?”

Trunks snickered and shouted back, “Yeah, blueberry, I did!”

Vegeta smirked and looked Piccolo up and down as he growled, “And I intend to be even more of an ass-kisser momentarily. Let’s go, _minaiya_. You’ll manage the child, woman?”

“Yeah, yeah, go on. I’m sure the boys will help if she gets too Saiyan on me,” Bulma said and waved them off.

Trunks deflated. He’d hoped to have a little time alone with Goten before the Son clan descended on them with their homophobia and outrage. Trunks strolled over to at least have a little PG-13 action with his mate.

“Hey, baby,” Trunks murmured and tried to kiss Goten. 

Goten tilted his mouth up out of range and said, “Nuh-uh. You thought I couldn’t carry a suitcase. Screw you.”

“We can’t right here, baby,” Trunks said, trying to add some levity to his mate’s anger.

“It’s not funny. Stop treating me like I’m weak just because I’m the pregnant one. I talked to Vegeta and he said the pregnant one isn’t treated the way shitty Earthling men treat women. There was no fucking patriarchy cocking everything up on Vegeta-sei. So stop it or you can go back to wanking off to my picture.”

Trunks searched Goten’s eyes and took his hands. “I’m sorry, baby, that isn’t at all what I think. Really. I just want to help. It’s a lot of work growing a Saiyan baby. I know you haven’t been sick like Piccolo, but still. I don’t think of you as weak. That’s not why I asked. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Goten mumbled, “Fine. But I’m going to go talk to your mom about how we’re going to set up our place. My mom is going to rip me a new one. I’m so not excited for tonight.” They reached Bulma together, who looked like she was working through a very complicated physics problem, which was what Trunks’s family felt like at the moment.

“Hey, Bulma, do you think my mom will handle me moving out better or worse if Trunks and I have our place set up in the south wing and show her?”

“Way worse. We need to let ChiChi think you moving over here is her idea. We have to skillfully plant the idea so she’ll fight _for_ it, not against it. You boys let me lead the way, okay?”

“Yeah, I can get behind that. You are a genius, after all,” Goten said with his sunshine smile that turned Trunks to mush. He saw it had a similar effect on his mother, but with none of the sexual undertones.

“I’m glad Trunks found such a great young man to be my son-in-law, Goten.”

“Hey, you basically raised me, no way I could turn out anything but awesome!” Goten said, grinning even more broadly.

Bulma hugged him and said, “Do _not_ say that in front of your parents. You boys can go start moving stuff down there. I’ll handle Bulla. I’ll text you if I need assistance.”


	13. Confirmation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started a Piccogeta backstory fic inspired by this: [Three Hours](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167110/chapters/66350233) for those who are curious.

Trunks was delighted to be alone with Goten even if Goten was mad at him. He took Goten’s hand and Goten gave him a little side-eye but didn’t take his hand away. “Ten…why do you get all dreamy looking when you watch Piccolo and Vegeta together?”

“They just seem really happy together. They seem happy with your mom too. But I told you before that it’s cool that it’s still like that for them, like it is for us, but after twenty years. It’s romantic.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess it’s hard for me to think of it that way yet, since it’s new to me. I forget it’s not new for them, just new to not have to keep it hidden. I know we’ll be like that in twenty years,” Trunks said and kissed Goten’s cheek. Goten gave him the tiniest smile.

Goten was the one who’d been scheming with Bulma about their new “apartment,” so he led Trunks through the warren of the residential half of Capsule Corp. They came to a suite that had a small kitchen, an office nook, and two bedrooms with a bathroom attached to each. The living area was small, but already had a wall-mounted television and one of the no-emission fireplaces that were one of Capsule Corp’s latest innovations. Trunks was the primary engineer.

Goten lifted Trunks up and spun him around in a circle. “Daddy, this is fucking incredible!”

Trunks, used to living in luxury, realized he was being a spoiled brat for only noting how spartan and small it was. He saw it through Goten’s eyes and he laughed. He bent and kissed Goten, who still held Trunks under his ass. They kissed and kissed until Goten let Trunks slide down his body. He took Trunks’s tank top off on the way down.

“You forgive me, baby? I’m sorry I was stupid,” Trunks murmured, unfastening Goten’s belt.

“We’ll see. You might have to beg for my forgiveness,” Goten panted as Trunks reached inside his shorts. Goten was already hard. Trunks loved how he effected Goten. Vegeta’s ego was potentially genetic.

Trunks dropped Goten’s shorts and said, “Can I beg on my knees, baby?”

Goten raised an eyebrow as Trunks settled on the floor in front of him. “I’ll never say no to that, Daddy,” Goten whispered, raking his fingers through Trunks’s hair. “You’re so beautiful, Trunks. Gods…” Goten trailed off as Trunks took Goten’s cock deep into his throat, working hard not to gag while flexing those muscles around Goten’s head. “Beautiful, the way you look with my cock in your mouth. It’s a dream come true.”

Trunks purred under Goten’s caresses and compliments. Goten wended his fingers into Trunks’s hair, but didn’t shove him or even hold him. It was more like encouragement and Trunks moaned with his own pleasure that he could make Goten respond this way. Goten’s legs shook and Trunks gripped Goten’s steely, smooth ass, pumping Goten into his mouth.

Goten gasped, “Fuck, Daddy! Oh fuck, I want to come in your mouth! Can I come in your mouth?”

Trunks squeezed his mate’s ass and sucked harder. The salty burst of giz in his mouth made his own cock twitch in response. Trunks wanted to come all over Goten. Maybe Goten would let Trunks ride him once he’d recovered.

Goten relaxed down into a puddle astride Trunks’s knees and kissed his mouth. He grinned against Trunks’s lips and said, “I forgive you, beautiful. Vegeta was right though, I think having my dick is making you a little stupid sometimes.”

“Yeah, probably. I’m still in shock that you want me, Ten. Still in even bigger shock that we’re really together. Together forever. That we’re gonna have a baby,” Trunks whispered and pressed his hand to Goten’s very subtly rounded belly. He smirked and said, “Baby, his chi is so strong already. We’re going to have our hands full!”

Goten giggled and let Trunks lay him on his back on the floor. “Can I ride you, Ten? You ready for me? I can’t stop thinking about coming all over you.”

Goten’s face lit up and he stroked his cock a few times. Trunks knocked his hand out of the way and took over. Goten said, “Hey, not that I don’t want you to ride me, because I do, and we’ll get to that, but I want something, and I’m still a little mad so you should do what I want. I want you to jack off on me. I can’t stop thinking about it since I caught you in the hotel.”

Trunks’s cheeks caught on fire: had Goten heard his thoughts? Trunks wanted to see Goten masturbate too, but he was self-conscious about doing it himself. He said, “I’m a little…shy…about it.”

Goten lifted Trunks up by his hips and held him high over his prone body. Trunks tensed to stay flat. Goten looked up into his eyes and said, “How can you be shy about that? I’ve fucked you in the ass, Trunks. You’ve fucked me in the ass. We’ve eaten each other’s asses and sucked each other’s cocks. But you’re shy about this? You’re so funny sometimes, beautiful. Look at your sweet, innocent blushing. Like you don’t beg for my prick and moan like you’re dying once I give it to you.”

Trunks knew he was blushing even more at Goten’s words, but he was helpless to stop it. Goten laughed and lowered Trunks onto himself. “Please, beautiful. Sit on my lap, you can start by rubbing our cocks together, okay? But you have to promise you’ll go solo after a bit. Do you promise?”

Trunks reverted to his Goten-induced mutism and nodded. Goten set him down and Trunks situated himself on Goten’s hips. But he reached back and took some of Goten’s wetness to run along his cock. Goten’s eyes widened and he gave Trunks a sexy smirk. “I like that, Daddy. That was hot.”

“You sure you won’t let me sit on your dick while I jerk off, baby?”

Goten groaned, “Fuck, Daddy, that does sound pretty amazing…” Trunks reached back and took more of the slick lube Goten produced and rubbed it on Goten’s prick. Trunks lifted his ass and lowered himself on Goten’s hard prick. Goten breathed, “Okay, yeah…fuck, fuck, fuck, Trunks, you are so godsdamned tight.”

Trunks still hadn’t mastered bottoming and he was a little uncomfortable at first until Goten held him by his hips and shifted his angle of entry. Trunks cried out as Goten slammed into his p-spot. “You like that, Daddy?” Goten purred and bucked up hard, hitting it again.

Trunks threw his head back as he shouted with pleasure. He twisted his palm and fingers around his head, moving his foreskin, pumping up and down. His hand synced with Goten fucking up into him and Trunks knew if he didn’t stop himself, he was seconds away from coming. “You want me to come on you, baby?” Trunks gasped.

Goten nodded and smiled, holding Trunks in place as he crashed up into him. It was nice to turn Goten in to the nodding one for once. Trunks wanted to last to enjoy riding his mate longer, but he needed Goten’s seed inside him. His whole body howled for it. Trunks tightened his grip on his cock and groaned, “Yes, baby, yes, fuck your daddy. Fuck me so hard! Hit it, Ten! Right there! Oh gods!”

Hot pulses of cum striped Goten’s belly and chest as Trunks came hard. The feel of Goten’s cum filling Trunks swamped him with another powerful wave of pleasure. Trunks’s ass spasmed wildly on Goten’s cock and Goten gave his ass a brisk slap, praising Trunks more, telling Trunks he was beautiful, telling Trunks to cover him in cum. Trunks’s whole body shook as the orgasm finally subsided.

They decided to break in their new shower together before carrying stuff from Trunks’s room to their new little apartment. Trunks felt giddy that he and Goten would be somewhat autonomous from Trunks’s parents. A tiny part of him was sad that now that he finally had a dad that liked him he was essentially moving out. But he hoped he and Piccolo could spend more time together. Trunks wanted to make up for some of his years of being a surly shit.

They were carrying the last load of Trunks’s belongings to their new place when Trunks’s phone blew up with texts from his mother. He sprinted outside to see if Bulla had lost her temper and started wrecking up the place. Once outside, he read the messages:

_Come to my lab._

_Bulla’s napping, so be quiet._

_Piccolo and Vegeta are here and both on the edge of mate crazy, so no jokes about anything like that._

_Hurry up, wtf_

_GET YOUR ASS TO MY LAB_

He grabbed Goten’s hand and they were in Bulma’s lab in a blink. Vegeta paced like a poorly-trained, unfed, circus tiger. Bulma hadn’t been kidding about the tranquilizers. In one hand she had a tranq gun aimed at Vegeta and in the other she had her phone. Piccolo was laying on a steel countertop, his hands held up in surrender, his eyes on Vegeta, and it was clear they were speaking telepathically.

Bulma said, “Vegeta, I swear to all the gods if you make me use this after fifteen fucking years, I’m going to be pissed. Calm down. I don’t want to hurt Piccolo. I want to look at the baby. You know what an ultrasound is, for fuck’s sake.”

Trunks heard Vegeta speak, but none of it was English and his voice sounded like something animal. Like a cornered predator. A big one.

Trunks said, “Hey…Papa…Dad is okay, look, he’s okay?”

Vegeta spun and now he stalked around Trunks and Goten. Trunks’s mind flooded with a blood-red haze of protective instinct. The fear for his mate’s safety was real now. Vegeta was a threat.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Trunks, not you too. Sweet gods, if human males had mate-crazies the patriarchy wouldn’t exist because you’d be the ‘hysterical’ ones. Stand down, Vegeta. Last warning or I’ll tranq you and your son.”

Trunks wrestled with his own out-of-control feelings. He saw Vegeta struggle and back slowly toward Piccolo. Piccolo dug his fingers into Vegeta’s mating mark and Vegeta visibly relaxed, but his eyes were still terrifying.

Goten did the same thing to Trunks. Vegeta growled, still sounding more animal than human, “Stay over there. One step closer, Trunks, and I’ll incinerate both of you.”

“Vegeta, godsdamnit! Not helpful!” Bulma cried and lifted the gun up. Pointed the gun at _Trunks_.

“Mom! What the hell?” Trunks cried.

“Are you in control of your faculties? Because I’m real fucking sick of mate-crazies. Gods. By the time I got Piccolo settled, Vegeta went off, then Piccolo went off again when I got out the tranq gun and all I want to fucking do is see what’s going on with Piccolo’s fucking pregnancy!” Bulma yelled.

“Bulma, knock it off. You signed up for this shit. You know why you’re making it worse. Let’s get the disappointment over with, okay?” Piccolo said and buried his face in Vegeta’s stomach where Vegeta stood comforting him.

“Why did you make us come, Mom?” Trunks asked, still wary of Vegeta’s irrational ire.

“Because I can’t fight both of them. They’ve never both been crazy like that at the same time. Fucking hell,” Bulma griped and rolled the ultrasound slowly toward Piccolo. “Dim the lights, Trunks.”

Piccolo’s hands slid up Vegeta’s back and Trunks was fairly certain he was crying into Vegeta’s shirt. Trunks barely heard him as he said, “Baby, I can’t do this. I can’t.”

“Shh… _minaiya._ I’ve got you. We have Trunks and Bulla, that’s all we need. Shh…” Vegeta crooned as he curled over Piccolo.

Bulma tossed the tranquilizer gun to Trunks and said, “Take him down if he tries for me, please, sweetie.”

Trunks was tempted to tranq Vegeta just for fun, but decided that would likely send Piccolo into some serious mate-crazies that Trunks might not survive. Trunks said, “Papa, can Goten and I move around the other side so we can see the screen?”

Vegeta’s head swung around and Trunks took a step back, but Vegeta said, “Yes. Slowly. I’m…I’m okay for now. It’s like a fucking drug.” Trunks related to that feeling, his own mate-crazies shifting into the hangover phase.

Goten and Trunks sidled around the room until they were on Piccolo’s other side. This very obviously distressed Vegeta, but Piccolo didn’t even notice, still buried in Vegeta’s shirt, but his abdomen was flat and exposed, moving in the jerky way that crying caused.

Trunks whispered, “It’s gonna be fine, Dad. You’ll see.” He wanted to hug Piccolo, but assumed that would lead to Vegeta tearing his throat out.

Bulma slathered some goo on Piccolo’s belly and started moving the wand. She flicked a switch and they all grinned at the sound of the fast, whooshing heartbeat. All except Piccolo. Trunks watched Vegeta’s face rather than the screen.

Trunks rarely sympathized with Vegeta about anything, but in that moment, he could see all the crushed hope of decades struggling to find something to cling to in the ultrasound image. Vegeta tightened his embrace on Piccolo. After a long moment, he laughed out, “Look, _minaiya_ , look! You can see his little tail!”

Piccolo peeked out of Vegeta’s shirt and then laid back on his elbows, his eyes bugging out as he stared at the screen. Trunks’s eyes darted to the ultrasound too. Amidst the black and white meaningless lumps, there was an obvious baby. A tiny baby, but it kicked spastically and moved around vigorously in Piccolo’s womb.

Piccolo breathed, “Holy shit…Baby…baby, I think…I think we might have a baby. But there’s no egg.” He slumped back onto the table, his eyes leaving the screen to look up at Vegeta.

Tears streamed down Vegeta’s face and he bent and hugged Piccolo, who clutched him tightly. Trunks felt his own eyes burn. The relief and the joy was palpable it was so thick around Trunks’s fathers. Part of him expected to feel jealous that they were having another child. A child that they had wanted before Trunks, but then Trunks thought of the easy way Piccolo called Trunks his son, the way Piccolo hugged him, smelled him, and all that Piccolo had endured to be Trunks’s father, and any sense of being replaced evaporated under the glow of happiness he felt for his fathers.

Bulma clicked away, doing something as she continued the ultrasound. After a few minutes, she wiped off Piccolo’s belly. She bent and gave him a big kiss, “Congratulations, honey, I’m so happy for you.” She gave Vegeta a stern look and said, “You gonna bite me if I give you a kiss?”

“Not in front of the boy, no,” Vegeta said with a smirk. He pulled her against his body.

“Good job, Papa,” Bulma whispered and kissed Vegeta’s mouth.

She let him go and squeezed Piccolo’s hand. She turned and said, “Goten, you wanna hop up and we’ll see how you’re coming along?”

“Hell yeah! Hurry up, Piccolo, out of the way!” Goten said, and Trunks thought he was only half-teasing. Piccolo was up and all over Vegeta, kissing his mate as he lifted Vegeta up over his head. Trunks’s attention was torn between his eager mate and his overjoyed fathers.

They bantered rapidly in Saiyan. Trunks gawked again to witness another aspect of both men that he’d never known existed. The other times he heard Piccolo speak Saiyan, it was a few words, but now it was clear that Piccolo was fluent. That he had learned an entire language to be able to speak to Vegeta in his native tongue. The thought made Trunks feel strange, to know that such love even existed, but that it had been in the shadows of his life all along.

His eyes dropped to his mate. Goten’s face was pinched with nerves as Bulma did something on the screen. Moments later, the goo and the wand were applied and the room filled with the sound of the new life in Goten. Trunks eyes were rapt on the screen now. His son flipped and darted around inside Trunks’s mate.

Trunks bent and kissed Goten fiercely. He murmured against Goten’s lips, “Look, baby, look what we made?”

Goten didn’t exactly shove Trunks out of his way, but he moved him so he could stare at the screen. He breathed, “Trunks, oh my gods, it’s real…I’m really pregnant. Holy shit!”

Trunks felt Goten’s mixture of fear and excitement like a buzzing in the base of his skull. He ran his fingers through Goten’s hair and said, “Yeah, baby, you’re gonna be a daddy too,” with a little chuckle.

Goten chortled too and laced his fingers with Trunks’s and grinned. “Yeah. Holy shit. Wow. Crazy. Hey, Piccolo, we can do lamaze or something together!”

Bulma made a choking noise and said, “Uh, you guys realize you’re going to have to hide as you really start to show. And you certainly can’t go to a birthing class!”

All four men glared at Bulma. Goten said, “We can do it together online, Bulma. I’m not going into hiding just because I’m having a baby.”

Bulma said, “Sweetie, you realize if you are out in the world as a fully pregnant man, there’s a real possibility of you getting captured to be experimented upon, right?”

“Who could capture a Saiyan?” Goten said so flippantly that Trunks thought maybe his mate-crazies were fairly justified. A little fear was sensible.

“If I can make a Saiyan tranquilizer, who’s to say someone else can’t?” Bulma said, gesturing to the tranq gun, forgotten beside Goten on the countertop.

Piccolo chimed in, “Goten, you and I can hang out around the compound getting fat together while our mates get to just live their lives.” He smirked down at Vegeta.

Trunks kissed Goten and said, “I’ll be with you as much as you want, baby. I can do all my school stuff from home. I don’t want you to feel trapped or lonely.”

“Whatever, Trunks. Piccolo is right, we can hang out. We can even fat-prego-train.”

Vegeta and Trunks and Bulma all shouted, “No!” in unison. Trunks was relieved that he wouldn’t have to fight that fight alone against his mate.

“Jeez, fine, okay!” Goten said, holding up his hands. “Am I done, Bulma? You’re gonna help deal with my mom, right? I’m kind of freaking out now that it’s really real.”

Bulma nodded, did a few more things on the ultrasound. It made a strange noise. A string of shiny stills from the ultrasound printed out. Their baby’s first photos. Bulma handed them to Trunks and said, “These will help ChiChi come to terms with things.”

Trunks’s eyes filled and he said, “Baby, you’re doing such a great job. He’s perfect.”

Goten took the pictures reverently from Trunks and stared at them, his own eyes glassy. Trunks looked up and saw Piccolo and Vegeta were making out again. He sighed and looked to his mother for support. She said, “Can you two go somewhere else so you don’t destroy my lab?”

Vegeta scooped Piccolo up and Piccolo laughed. Piccolo said, “You’re so little!”

“Quiet, _minaiya_ , I’m big where it counts,” Vegeta said and leaned in to kiss Piccolo.

Goten’s eyes widened and he cracked up. Trunks facepalmed, but they were gone, so he didn’t have to hear any more discussion of how well-endowed Vegeta was. Goten hopped off the table and said, “Thanks, Bulma! Our apartment is perfect. I’m so excited. It’ll be perfect until Trunks finishes school.”

“You’re going to finish too, young man. Getting knocked up is no excuse not to at least get your GED.”

“Yeah, my mom would never let me live it down if I don’t at least finish high school. Her Gohan-level-scholar dreams are just bullshit though. I don’t want that at all, so I hope you’ll back me up, Bulma.”

“Goten, I really think you should rethink going to college—“

“I’m going to read and stuff. I’m not just some moron! But this—“ Goten gestured dramatically at the ultrasound pictures, “this is what I want. I don’t care what you think! Vegeta’s a stay-at-home dad and no one says anything! Piccolo was too, he was just secret about it.”

“I know, sweetie, but they were…” Bulma trailed off. Her eyebrows furrowed together. “You know what, you’re right. You should do what you want to do. But keep an open mind. Maybe in a few years you’ll want to go.”

“Maybe, but for right now I need to know if you’re gonna hurt me or help me in the war with my mom,” Goten said. He wrapped his arm around Trunks.

“Of course I’m on your side, Goten, I just don’t want you to give up on—“

“I’m not! I know I’m young, and I know it’s unexpected that I’m pregnant, what with being a dude and all, but I’ve always just wanted a family! I’m not like my dad, I don’t want to fight all the time. I’m not like Gohan, I don’t want to be a godsdamned scholar. I want this! I never thought I’d have Trunks because I didn’t think he was gay, but I’m basically living the dream right now, Bulma. Don’t try to make me feel shitty for it!” Goten’s voice was loud, not quite yelling, but close enough that Trunks’s eyes were wide as they settled on his mother to see what she would say. Goten beat her to it though and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m pretty stressed about my mom and dad tonight, you know?”

“Yeah, sweetie. I know. Okay. I’ll support both of you in whatever you want to do. Trunks, does that mean you’re going to be the breadwinner? Are you okay with that? Because I will not financially support you two forever. If you want money, you’re going to work for it.”

“Yeah, I know, Mom. But I do wanna work for Capsule Corp. You know I make some badass shit.”

“You need to work on your vocabulary, young man, but yes, you do. And I want you to work in the family business too, but you need to finish high school and then whip through college and probably get a PhD or two as well. But you can intern here. We’ll figure out how you two are going to live. But I want to make sure you two agree on your respective roles.”

Goten hopped off the counter, still staring at the pictures.

Trunks grinned seeing Goten so happy and excited. Trunks said, “All I need to be happy is to make Ten happy, so I’m living the dream too. I’ll do anything to make him happy.”

Goten swatted Trunks’s arm and blushed. He said, “You’re so sappy, dude,” and bent to give Trunks a kiss.


	14. Dinner with the Sons

ChiChi and Goku materialized on the broad patio at Capsule Corp right on time. Goku’s face immediately scrunched up in confusion and Trunks knew the jig was up because Goku probably felt the babies’ chi. He hoped that Goku could at least keep his mouth shut until Gohan and Videl arrived. Bulma greeted Goten’s parents, offered them drinks, and led them all to the big table laden with Saiyan levels of food. Goku, at least, was distracted by the food and drink.

ChiChi came over to hug Goten and said, “Oh, Goten, I missed you, pumpkin, how was your trip?” She hugged him tightly and Trunks saw her face shift too. Trunks knew Goten’s belly was more noticeable than Piccolo’s because he wasn’t as tall. ChiChi laughed and said, “Seems like you must’ve eaten well and taken a break from training and rough-housing with Trunks.”

Goten’s cheeks turned maroon at the comment. He stammered, “Let’s, uh, heh, yeah, um, let’s wait for Gohan and then, um, yeah, then, uh, we’ll…we’ll tell you all about it, okay?”

“Sure, pumpkin. You’re sweating, are you not feeling well?”

Trunks felt a little like fleeing the upcoming disaster, but he would be stalwart for his mate.

 _His mate._ His _claimed_ mate. Which Trunks had forgotten about. Goten was wearing a tank top and his mark was visible. ChiChi screeched, “Goten! What happened? Who _bit_ you?” She yanked down the material to see the full, very obvious bite wound.

Bulma piped up, a bit too cheerfully, “ChiChi, you have to try these margaritas Vegeta made. They’re amazing. He picked up some pointers on the cruise!”

“Bulma! You let my son get _bitten_ while under your care?”

“Well, it’s quite the story, but like Goten said, let’s let everyone get settled in with a drink and then we don’t have to bore everyone by repeating the same thing!” Bulma said, her knuckles white around the back of the chair she pulled out for ChiChi.

Goku walked over to them and said in a low voice, “What’s up with Piccolo’s chi? And…are he and Vegeta…I swear when we arrived that they were hugging. What’s that about?”

“Dad, Bulma just told you to wait. Okay? There’s lots to tell, it was a two week cruise,” Goten said, his face pale, and sweaty.

“You seem a little off too, son, are you feeling okay?” Goku said and his head canted to the side, like he was trying to see Goten from a different angle.

“I feel fucking great, Dad,” Goten said cheerfully, but his smile was strained.

“Jeez, language, don’t let your mother hear you use that word!” Goku said, hastily checking to see if ChiChi had heard.

ChiChi was still berating Bulma for Goten’s bite wound and Trunks could see that Bulma was on the edge of snapping. Trunks said, “Hey, you guys, you should see what Bulla can do now!” He hoped Bulla going super Saiyan would distract Goku and ChiChi temporarily at least.

Bulla said, “Do you mean how I can say ‘shitty’ while Piccy grows the baby?”

Trunks saw Goku and ChiChi stare uncomprehending at Bulla. ChiChi spoke first and said, “Bulla, darling, that language is not very becoming for a young lady. But what did you say? Without the potty word, please.”

Bulma croaked, “Show them how you can transform, blueberry!”

Bulla looked in confusion at all the adults, but closed her eyes slowly and after a few flickering moments, her little blue pigtails turned a sparkling, luminous blonde and when she opened her eyes, they were pupil-less, even brighter turquoise than normal with the blacks missing. The last two days of the cruise had involved a lot of screaming from humans as Bulla learned to control her transformation.

Goku said, “Wow, Bulla! That’s incredible! It took me until I was twenty-something and I think your dad was past thirty!”

“Shut up, Kakarot! I was a slave most of my life, it’s not like I had parents nurturing and training me!” Vegeta snapped.

Goku scratched his head and said, “Well, yeah, but weren’t you still with your parents when you were Bulla’s age?”

“She’s my godsdamned daughter and I’m proud of her!” Vegeta snarled. Trunks eyed Piccolo warily. Piccolo looked like Vegeta’s agitation might set him off. Bulma had warned Trunks that Piccolo had barely been holding himself together after Vegeta’s still unexplained absences on the cruise. Now Trunks’s bigger father looked twitchy, like he was trying to control the mental fog that Trunks knew accompanied mate-crazies.

“Hey, Goku, let’s, uh, let’s not rile Papa up right now, okay? He’s been a bit edgy since the cruise,” Trunks said.

“Papa?” Goku said, still scratching his damned head.

“Vegeta,” Bulma chirped, “He means Vegeta.”

“Huh. Didn’t know you called him that, Trunks. Wasn’t it supposed to be a relaxing anniversary cruise? But I was thinking about it, and it wasn’t your anniversary, Bulma, so I was kinda confused. Isn’t your anniversary in December?”

Bulma’s smile tightened into a rictus. Vegeta rolled his eyes dramatically, pounding his margarita. Piccolo moved to touch Vegeta, but stopped himself and crossed his arms tightly. Trunks’s fathers’ faces shifted into the matching dark scowls that Trunks now recognized as resting-telepathic-conversation-face. A little smirk flitted across Piccolo’s face and his eyes darted to Vegeta’s ass. Vegeta’s eyes slid to Piccolo’s and they both fought smiles.

Trunks thanked all the gods when Gohan, Videl, and Pan showed up. His gratitude dissolved as Bulla, seemingly determined to out everyone, ran over to Pan and cried, “Hi Pan! I’m gonna be a big sister! And an auntie!”

The silence was so dense that Trunks heard the Sons’ mouths drop open. Slowly, their bulging eyes turned to Trunks, as the only person who could make Bulla an aunt. Goku spoke first, turning to Trunks’s mother, “Man, Bulma, I thought you were done after Bulla, you’re pretty old! But congratulations! Was that the reason you went on the cruise now instead of your actual anniversary?”

“You’re going to want to sit down, Kakarot. We have a lot of things to tell you both. You too…ChiChi,” Vegeta said, pronouncing her name like a particularly foul curse.

ChiChi glared at him and sat across from Bulma. “How far along are you? You really shouldn’t be drinking, Bulma, especially in the first trimester.”

No one even acknowledged Piccolo and Trunks began to understand how hard Piccolo’s life must’ve been as the hidden third parent. Vegeta’s secret mate. Piccolo sat down stiffly, vigilantly, in the chair next to Vegeta and Trunks saw Vegeta’s hand slide onto Piccolo’s thigh on one side, Bulma’s on the other. Bulma looked at Piccolo. He nodded and said, “Everyone have a seat, get some food.”

It was the first time everyone registered that he was there, and Gohan said, “Hey Piccolo, I didn’t know you’d be here! I haven’t seen you in a while. I was hoping you could babysit Pan for us sometime since you did such a good job with Trunks as a kid, and Bulla too.”

Trunks heard Piccolo’s teeth grind. Trunks’s new father closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths while everyone settled into their seats and started dishing up food. “I didn’t babysit them. They’re _my_ children, Gohan,” he said, staring at his former pupil.

Gohan tittered and said, “What? I mean, I know you basically raised Trunks that first year since Vegeta wasn’t around. And of course I know…I know about the other—“

Bulma swallowed hard and said, “No. Piccolo is Trunks’s father as much as Vegeta. Bulla’s too. We…well…the three of us…we’re all together.”

ChiChi dropped the serving spoon she’d been holding. She squawked, “What!? What on Earth do you mean, Bulma!?”

“I mean that Piccolo and Vegeta were a couple, and then I joined them when I agreed to have Trunks for them. I just…changed my mind. So the three of us raised Trunks and Bulla.”

“Piccy’s having a baby!” Bulla interjected, “And I’m going to name it! And I get to keep saying shitty until it’s born. But not fucking or cock.”

Vegeta snorted out a laugh and Piccolo covered his mouth to stifle his own. Bulma sighed and dropped her face into her hands.

Goku said, “What does that even mean? How can three of you be a couple? How are you and _Piccolo_ a couple, Vegeta? That doesn’t make sense. And I thought you were a guy, Piccolo? I’m really confused. Is Bulla confused? She really has a lot of swear words in her vocabulary.” Goku sounded impressed more than distressed by Bulla’s swearing.

Piccolo growled, “I’ve explained this to you before, Goku, when you’ve asked really invasive questions. I’m a hermaphrodite, I can breed as a male or a female. In this case, I’m going to have a baby. It’s not that hard to understand. I don’t really consider myself either, but since Earthlings see I’m strong and don't have tits, they think I’m ‘male.’ I’m not. But I’m also too lazy and indifferent to inform everyone about my genitalia.”

Trunks thought ChiChi’s mouth might never close again. A horrified look spread on her face and she hissed, “Did you bite my Goten? Who…who is the father of Piccolo’s baby?”

Vegeta’s eyes almost fell out onto the table as he roared, “I’m the fucking father, you insolent harpy! How dare you!? Of course he didn’t bite _Goten_. Piccolo is _mine_.”

Vegeta’s eyes were shifting into the crazy zone and Trunks figured there wasn’t going to be a slow entry into their news either. He might as well distract the “threats” to Vegeta’s mate. Vegeta going mate-crazy right now would not be helpful. Trunks blurted out, “I bit Goten, ChiChi. I bit him.”

“Trunks Briefs, shame on you! Why on Earth did you bite him? Did you two have an argument?”

Goten shrank in his chair. Trunks turned to look at him and his wide, scared eyes held Trunks’s as he gave a tiny, weak nod. “No. We mated. Goten’s my mate. We’re going to have a baby together.”

ChiChi screamed, “What the _fuck_ did you just say!?” Goku’s eyes went wide and Trunks thought maybe Goku liked it when ChiChi swore.

“I said that Goten is my mate. Saiyans claim each other with a mating mark.” Trunks remained calm, but his own mate-crazy fog threatened. He pulled his button-down shirt to the side enough that his bite mark showed. “Saiyan males aren’t like humans. We’re more like Piccolo. We can get pregnant. And Goten did.”

“On purpose!” Goten squeaked and clung to Trunks’s side like a nervous barnacle. He laced his fingers with Trunks’s hand under the table. It was clear that Goten might not enjoy Trunks protecting him in general, but that he needed and wanted protection from ChiChi.

Trunks turned and kissed his temple. Trunks murmured, “I got you, baby, don’t worry. You’re safe.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” Goten whispered so quietly probably only Trunks and Piccolo heard, judging by Piccolo’s smirk.

“Get away from my Goten, you spoiled brat! You grow up rich so you think you can just take whatever you want? Let him go!” ChiChi swung to slap Trunks, and Trunks prepared for the blow. But it never came. Trunks opened his eyes. Vegeta held ChiChi’s hand.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Vegeta said, his voice even lower and more ominous than usual.

“Let her go, Vegeta,” Goku said in a voice that told Trunks shit might be about to get real. The taller Saiyan was already on his feet.

Trunks tried to be the voice of reason and humanity instead of everything going in a Saiyan direction. Trunks said, “Look, can you just calm down. I didn’t force anything on Goten, this is what we both wanted. What we decided together. He’s been scared to come out to both of you because he knew you wouldn’t like that he was gay. Can’t you just be excited that he’s happy? That he’s gonna have a healthy grandchild for you? That we’re in love?”

ChiChi hissed at Vegeta, “Let go of my hand!”

Vegeta said, “If you strike my son—“

Piccolo was up now too and he said, “ _Our_ son.”

“Yes, our son, you will regret it. We’re all adults here, we can talk about this without resorting to violence. But trust me, if we resort to violence, it will not go well for you, no matter how strong Kakarot is.” Vegeta tossed her hand away like it was filthy.

Goku said, “Okay, I can simmer for a minute here, Vegeta, but we are _not_ all adults here. You just told us that your sixteen-year-old son got our _fifteen_ -year-old _son_ pregnant. They’re boys, how the heck is Goten pregnant? He’s a child!”

“All your notions of adulthood are from Earth, Kakarot! Saiyans mature much younger. They’ve both been able to breed since they were ten or eleven. But that is irrelevant because there’s no fighting a Saiyan claim. It’s biological. Trunks and Goten are what you Earthlings might call…soulmates. They’re practically destined to be together. They were whelps together and they’re approximately the same age, and no matter how you feel about two males loving one another, they do. They have. For years. And you twits are blind if you didn’t know that until today. I’ve known for a long time that Goten was in love with Trunks. Trunks just needed a little more time to figure it out thanks to the same Earthling nonsense that is making you two resistant to the idea of them being together. This planet’s bizarre obsession with gender and sexuality has confused me from the very beginning. What does what’s between your legs have to do with love? You love who you love,” Vegeta said with a shrug. Trunks found Vegeta expounding about love hilarious. It was hard not to laugh.

ChiChi fumed, but Goku looked thoughtful. Goku said, “So, if you and Piccolo and Bulma are all together, does that mean that Trunks and Goten might eventually have a woman too?”

Trunks and Goten said, “No!” They turned to each other and smiled. Goten seemed to find some bravery in the moment, or maybe defiance was a better term, because he leaned in and kissed Trunks. It wasn’t a tame kiss either. It was a kiss that very clearly expressed their level of intimacy. He held Trunks’s jaw as they eased apart. Goten said, “I’m never sharing Trunks.”

ChiChi said, “Goten, you are too young to make this sort of decision and I don’t care what nonsense Vegeta spouts about you being Saiyan. You’re not Saiyan. You’re human and—“

Goten transformed to be super Saiyan in blink, his chi buffeting everyone at the table. He growled, “I’m not. I’m partially human, but Saiyan genes are powerful.” Goten reached in his back pocket and tossed the folded sheet of ultrasound pictures at his mother. He gestured to them as she gaped, and he continued, “No human could do that. I love Trunks. I’ve always loved him. It changed once I was mature, but that was years ago. You can’t keep treating me like a little boy. I’m maybe not legally an adult by human standards, but I am in mind and body. I love my mate. Nothing will keep me from him. But I hope you don’t make me choose, Mom.”

ChiChi looked at Goten with wide, tear-filled eyes and clasped both hands over her mouth as she started to cry. Gohan remained stubbornly silent on the matter, but his eyes kept darting between the bite mark on Goten’s chest and the tiny, fuzzy baby shape in the ultrasound pictures.

Goku was thinking so hard Trunks could practically hear it. Goku said, “So, Vegeta…have you and Piccolo…always been together?”

“Yes,” Piccolo said stonily, his hand back under the table and Trunks assumed he was either holding Vegeta’s hand or thigh. Or cock, for all Trunks knew with his newly exhibitionist dual fathers. Piccolo continued, “Ever since he came to Earth.”

“Okay, well…I’m still pretty blown away by all of this, but I gotta ask why you waited until now to have a baby. And why…why didn’t you two, or you three, I guess, you know, tell anyone sooner?”

Vegeta said, “We weren’t actively secretive—“

“Yeah, I caught them,” Gohan offered.

Now all Goku and ChiChi’s attention turned to Gohan. “Excuse me, young man? What did you say?” ChiChi said in the tone of hers that Trunks knew drove Vegeta absolutely crazy. “What does that mean?”

Gohan flushed a bright shade of pink and said, “I, um, I accidentally walked in on Piccolo and Vegeta…being intimate.”

Goku’s eyebrows crashed together. “How come you didn’t tell anyone?”

“Why would I, Dad? Jeez. It’s not like I wanted to advertise that I interrupted…that. It was embarrassing.”

Vegeta grumbled, “Your behavior was embarrassing, but at least you’re less bigoted than your parents.”

“We’re not bigoted!” Goku whined.

“Well, you might not be, since you seemed unclear that two males even could have sex, but your wife certainly is!”

ChiChi didn’t even say anything. She was glaring at Gohan and she said, “If you had told us, we could have kept Goten from coming over here and having that sort of…influence…in his life. He just hasn’t met the right girl like you did. He needs time. He’s so young. You can talk to him, can’t you, Gohan? We wouldn’t be in this mess if you’d been honest about what you discovered.”

Gohan tilted his head to the side. “How does Piccolo and Vegeta having sex have any bearing on Goten and Trunks being a couple?”

“Vegeta’s my fucking mate! Not just someone I bang when I’m bored!” Piccolo snarled.

“Sorry! Sorry! Jeez, Piccolo, don’t be so…defensive,” Gohan said, holding his hands up in surrender.

“I’ve lived my whole fucking life in the shadows because of bullshit like this, and I’m sick of it. My own son didn’t know me because of people like ChiChi and I’m just fucking done! Bulla knows because we did it right with her. Who are your parents, Bulla?” Piccolo said.

Bulla smiled and said, “Silly Piccy, you’re my big daddy and Daddy is my little daddy and Mommy is my mommy and she runs the show!”

Bulma giggled, it sounded a little nervous to Trunks and he could see why. Piccolo and Vegeta both felt like gasoline creeping toward a match. Bulma said, in her rabid-dog tone of voice, “Okay, let’s all calm down and drink our margaritas. I think what we all want is to make sure our children are healthy and supported, right?”

ChiChi jabbed a finger at Bulma and said, “You _would_ say something like that, living in such a…a…I don’t even know what to call your _sham_ of a marriage, but you are not going to turn my boy into one of…of…of…these two!” ChiChi flapped her hand at Vegeta and Piccolo.

Vegeta canted his head and said, “What were you going to call us, harpy?” Vegeta’s jaw muscle twitched.

“You know very well what you are!” ChiChi bit out.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t. What are we?” Vegeta leaned and shocked the life out of Trunks as he kissed Piccolo on the mouth. A lingering, sensual kiss, and then turned smirking back to ChiChi.

She snarled, “You’re…homosexuals!”

Vegeta and Piccolo looked each other up and down and said, “Well, we’ve been called worse,” in unison.

“Come on, Goku, take us home,” ChiChi stood and foolishly grabbed Goten’s bicep. She tried to tug him to his feet.

Goten said, barely words, closer to an animal snarl, “Let go of me,” and his hair flared blonde. Trunks ascended and moved his body between ChiChi’s and Goten’s yanking her hand off his mate. The haze of red mate-protective rage slid over Trunks’s vision and his body readied to battle.

Before Trunks could even blink, Vegeta and Goku were blue and Piccolo was powered up. Even Bulla had gone super Saiyan. Videl and Gohan stood. Videl wrapped Pan protectively in her arms and backed away from the table.


	15. Brawling and Bawling

Goku made for Trunks, but Vegeta was there, blocking him. Goten roared, “Stop it, Dad!”

Trunks’s strength surprised even himself when Goku got around Vegeta. Goku lunged for Goten and Trunks slammed him into the ground. Trunks felt the red, brain-melting heat of mate-crazies fully arrive and he no longer had control over his own body. He heard noises and there was chaos around him. Gohan went after Vegeta when Vegeta pinned Goku. Piccolo tossed a super Saiyan Gohan through the air like he weighed nothing.

An airhorn went off. All the Saiyans froze, winced, and covered their ears. Piccolo barked, “Fucking hell, Bulma!” as he clutched his head between his hands.

Trunks calmed slightly in the stillness. Even Bulla had joined the fray, holding ChiChi’s hands twisted up behind her back. Trunks found the source of the noise sitting on the table in front of his mother. Bulma stood with a tranquilizer gun in each hand, one trained on Goku and one aimed at Gohan. Gohan shook his head and tried to recover from Piccolo’s throw. 

Bulma said in a deadly calm voice, “I invited you all over for dinner, not a godsdamned brawl. Sit your homophobic asses down and eat some fucking dinner or I will tranq both of you! I'm sick of Saiyan nonsense! Goku, I’m so disappointed in you right now. Your son is happy. He’s healthy. And he’s in love. Why would you risk that to appease your wife? You could have hurt the baby!”

Trunks bellowed with rage at the thought of his baby being injured. For the first time in his life, Trunks began to transform to super Saiyan three. Trunks attempted to breathe through his mate-crazies and huffed out, “I will murder the next person who touches my mate!”

Goten pressed against Trunks’s back and wrapped his arms around him. He kissed Trunks’s cheek. Goten’s hand snuck inside Trunks’s shirt and spread over his mark, clearing Trunks’s mind of some of the haze. Trunks murmured, “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, thanks, Daddy,” Goten whispered.

Bulma said, “Bulla, get off ChiChi and go sit with Piccy, okay?”

“Don’t be shitty!” Bulla said to ChiChi, shoved off her, and flew over to Piccolo, settling on his massive shoulders.

Trunks was proud of both his fathers as they managed not to laugh at Bulla’s command to ChiChi. Bulla planted a series of smacking kisses on top of Piccolo’s skull as she asked, “Baby okay, Piccy?”

“Yeah, blueberry. That was a good pin,” Piccolo said, his eyes rolling up even though seeing Bulla was impossible where she was. His fangs glinted in the setting sun as he smiled.

“Thanks, Piccy!” Bulla cooed. 

Piccolo’s big arm slung around Vegeta’s waist as they settled back into their seats. Goku and Gohan moved slowly into their chairs. Videl said, “Gohan, honey, maybe I should just take Pan home?”

“No, you shouldn’t, because we’re all going to act like adults now, right?” Gohan said hopefully. Bulma still had the gun pointed at him. “I’m guessing you made whatever’s in the darts, Bulma, what is it?”

“Saiyan sedatives. Fast-acting, long-lasting. Just like Vegeta and Piccolo,” she said and cast a little smirk at her partners.

Trunks wanted to facepalm, but also didn’t want to cover his eyes for even a second.

Goku flushed and said, “Jeez, I just feel like we’re really talking about a lot of stuff that’s maybe…private.”

“You’ve asked me on multiple occasions if I have a cock, Goku, you can hear that I use it. That your son uses his. Obviously you’re okay with Gohan using his too,” Piccolo grumbled.

“What…what happens to Goten’s…um…parts if he’s a lady now?” Goku said.

Piccolo and Vegeta and Goten all facepalmed. Trunks said, “He’s not a lady, for fuck’s sake, Goku. Are you actually this obtuse? Saiyan males can get pregnant, but he still has a dick. It works just the same. Trust me on that.” Goten chuckled beside him.

ChiChi wept into her hands. Goku rubbed her back. “It’s okay, honey, at least…at least if he’s gonna be gay we still get grandkids, right?”

“It’s unnatural, Goku! And he’s way too young! What will he do about school? He won’t be able to go to college if he has a baby! And he’s already barely getting by in high school,” ChiChi whined.

Goten said, “Hey! I’m doing fine! I’m not Gohan, but I don’t wanna be Gohan. I’m not going to college. It’d be a huge waste of money and time. If I do anything, I’ll open a dojo or something like that, but not anytime soon. I’m going to take care of my baby.”

ChiChi screeched, “No you’re not, young man! You can’t waste your potential staying home with a baby. You are going to finish high school and then you’re going to—“

“No, Mom, I’m really not! I’ll get my GED, but there’s no way I can go to school pregnant! I’m a guy! And you stayed home to raise us! Do you consider that a waste of your life?”

ChiChi looked like she was considering making a play for Goten, and Trunks saw that Piccolo was primed to take her down. Vegeta eyed Gohan warily as Bulma set down one tranq gun to sip her margarita. ChiChi said, “I never thought I would condone this, but I think you ought to have an abortion, Goten. You’re just too young. Or maybe we can wish it away with the dragon balls.”

Goten burst into agonized tears, clutching his belly. Trunks snarled, “No you fucking won’t! I’ll kill all of you before I let anything happen to my baby, or anything my mate doesn’t want to happen to him!” Trunks wrapped Goten protectively in his arms, breathing through his hair, but never taking his eyes off Goku.

“Goten isn’t an adult, he can’t make these types of decisions!” ChiChi said.

Trunks snapped, “Fuck you! You were happy enough to let us fight Buu before we’d even reached double digits, ChiChi! Leave him alone. He can make his own decisions. If he wants that, we’ll deal with—“

“Of course I don’t want that, Trunks!” Goten sobbed out and buried his face in Trunks’s chest.

“I know, baby, I was just making the point to your mom that I’ll follow wherever you lead. You’re in charge of your body. I love you. I’ll take care of you,” Trunks said softly and squeezed Goten.

ChiChi’s rage was like a miasma over the dinner table. Goku nervously laughed, scratching the back of his head, and said, “Well, uh, there’s all this food, we might as well eat. I guess if Goten’s eating for two Saiyans, he’s probably starving, huh?”

Goten nodded and began inhaling food one-handed, his other hand gripping Trunks’s knee like it as the only thing keeping him from flying away. Trunks murmured, “You okay?” Goten nodded and leaned into Trunks more. 

Gohan said, “So, uh, Piccolo, when are you due?”

“I have no fucking idea. I should have already laid an egg, but apparently I’m having a Saiyan pregnancy, so probably in five to seven months and a live birth,” Piccolo said and picked at his food. Trunks knew he still wasn’t feeling well.

Vegeta made an astonished noise and said, “ _Minaiya_ , you won’t go longer than six months, you’re not in any danger or—“

Piccolo sighed and said, “My love, we have no fucking idea how this will go. Saiyan-Namek hybrids are new territory, right?”

“Is there any chance you two could stop using such foul language in front of the children? You’ve already polluted poor Bulla’s vocabulary, I’d prefer if my granddaughter didn’t use those words,” ChiChi said, sitting up primly in her seat.

Trunks raised an eyebrow at his fathers. Both closed their eyes and took a steadying breath before nodding. ChiChi continued, “Bulma, since you allowed this nonsense to happen on your watch, I assume you will be footing the bill for any medical expenses that come with it?”

Bulma snorted out a laugh and swallowed the rest of her margarita. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be _providing_ the medical care, ChiChi. There’s not exactly Saiyan-male-pregnancy obstetricians on Earth.”

“Just one more reason to nip this in the bud. Surely as a mother you can sympathize with what a terrible idea this—“

“I don’t think you bothered to listen earlier…ChiChi…” Vegeta said, clearly expending a great deal of effort to use her name, “When Saiyans claim a mate, it’s not _voluntary_. There is literally nothing anyone could have done to prevent them claiming each other. It’s inescapable. Bulma would have been killed had she tried to intervene. Trunks and Goten tried to fight that aspect, as well as the pregnancy—“

Goten bit out, “I didn’t want to fight the pregnancy, Vegeta, that was all you guys—“

“Goten, you know what I’m talking about, don’t interrupt me.”

Goten raised his hand. Vegeta rolled his eyes and gestured for Goten to speak. Goten said, “I will say this again and again until you guys hear me, listen to me, believe me: this is what I wanted. I chose this. Trunks tried to talk me out of it. Tried really hard to prevent it, but not me. I wanted this. The claim might be irresistible or whatever, but I don’t want my mom to be able to pretend I’m some kind of victim of my genes. I wanted this. I’ve wanted Trunks from the very first moment I understood what wanting was. I’ve always wanted this, him and a family with him, even when I thought it was impossible.”

ChiChi tried to interrupt, but Goten silenced her with a glare. Trunks was extremely turned on watching his mate stand up to all the adults. “No, Mom, just no. I won’t have you belittle this for me, or try to make it out to be some…some…whoopsy-daisy. Vegeta gave us a sex talk, an in-depth sex talk with all the Saiyan details, and he gave us a huge box of condoms. I chose not to use them and Trunks supported me,” Goten said and smirked at Trunks, “I’m pretty persuasive.”

Goten turned back to ChiChi and Goku and said, “So stop blaming them. This was my choice. Now you have a choice, you can support me, or you can say goodbye to me.”

ChiChi’s eyes filled again and she stammered, “I…pumpkin…this…it’s…it’s a lot to take in!”

“Well, eat your food and contemplate it in silence. Bulma and Vegeta have been really good to me my whole life, Piccolo too, so I won’t sit around while you malign my in-laws.”

“They are not your in-laws!” ChiChi shouted.

“Yes they are!” Goten snarled back, “I mean it, sit there and decide, Mom. I have nothing else to say to you. I knew all along that you wouldn’t love me if I was open about who I am. I’m glad Trunks fell in love with me, but even if he hadn’t, I’m fucking gay! I like dudes! I _only_ like dudes. I was dating dudes before him. So you better accept that about me too, even though it is now a singular gayness for the love of my life. My mate.” Goten leaned against Trunks and kissed his cheek.

The table fell silent except the sounds of eating for a few long, awkward minutes. Goku said, “Man, I’m just still in shock about Piccolo and Vegeta. Bulma, what’d you mean that you joined them? Like Piccolo and Vegeta were together before Bulma and Vegeta?”

“Yeah, from the day Vegeta arrived on Earth,” Piccolo said, offering no further details, but a smile danced around the edge of his lips.

“How? You got killed that day,” Goku said, his eyebrows coming together.

“Yup. We’re decisive. It was before that, during the three hours Vegeta agreed to wait for you. Before you came back,” Piccolo said, revealing the bare minimum. Trunks wished they would say more. He was insanely curious about how that had all gone down, but felt weird asking.

“Stop prying, Kakarot, unless you want details that will likely make your woman carry on and complain,” Vegeta said.

“Well…I’m just curious…did…well…Then you like, got back together once you were both resurrected?” Goku asked.

“Yup. You’ve figured it out, Goku,” Piccolo said. Trunks thought his amusement at the questions was rapidly giving way to his fatigue. Goten felt tired too, so maybe it was just the hard work of growing a Saiyan baby.

Goku inhaled a pile of food before saying, “I still kinda want to know…you know…how, um, how’d that happen?”

“How did what happen?” Vegeta said, glaring at Goku.

“You two liking each other _that_ way? I mean, neither of you really _likes_ anyone,” Goku said, gesturing back and forth between both of Trunks’s fathers.

Trunks’s fathers turned to look at each other and smirked simultaneously. Vegeta said, “Yes, that’s one of the things I love about him. But perhaps you’re unfamiliar with physical attraction? It seems as though it’s not a major part of your relationship.”

Goku nodded, then froze before saying, “Oh, uh, no, of course Chi and I have…that. I just…well…that’s pretty fast to fall in love.”

Piccolo’s fangs showed completely he smiled so broadly as he said, “Love at first sight with this one.” Trunks thought maybe Piccolo was doing something naughty to Vegeta under the table.

“Likewise, my heart,” Vegeta answered, a big, smug smirk spreading on his face as he stared into Piccolo’s eyes.

“And so…Bulma, you just…asked to…participate?” Goku said and Trunks couldn’t help giggling a little at Goku’s wording and curiosity. Trunks wondered if Goku was having some graphic thoughts that had never before occurred to him.

Bulma sighed. “No. I agreed to have a baby for them, but then I went back on my word, so—“

“Completely unsurprising,” ChiChi muttered.

Bulma glared at ChiChi. “I decided I couldn’t let Trunksy go, so we…um…we just became a family,” Bulma said with a shrug.

“But…is…Trunks is obviously Vegeta’s, they look so similar, so how is Piccolo in the mix?” Goku asked and scratched his head.

“My sperm won, but we both tried very hard to knock her up,” Vegeta said drily.

Videl spit out her drink and Gohan laughed. Goku blushed right up to his ears. Bulma tried not to smile. ChiChi looked absolutely horrified. Trunks felt sorry for his mate, having his own mother act this way. Goten giggled behind his hand.

ChiChi whined, “I can’t believe I let Goten stay over here when this was all going on!”

Vegeta said, “It’s not as though we fucked with him in the room. Well, except that one time.” Vegeta turned to Goten and continued, “The Sons seem prone to catching us at it.”

Trunks thought for a moment things were going to revert to brawling. ChiChi turned to Goten. Goten shrugged and said, “I caught them fucking, it wasn’t a huge deal. Vegeta gave me good relationship and sex advice afterwards when we had a little Saiyan man-to-man chat. He told me to come out to Gohan, at least, if I wasn’t ready to come out to you and Dad.”

“What?!” ChiChi squawked, “See! I knew you’d brainwashed him into this deviant behavior. I always knew you were bad news. Bulma, I can’t believe you allow your husband to…to…to fornicate with an alien!”

Goku’s eyes scrunched up and he said, “Chi, _I’m_ an alien. Your sons are too. And Piccolo’s less alien than Vegeta. He’s lived on Earth his entire life. Plus…I mean…it kinda seems like maybe they let Bulma into _their_ relationship, not the other way around.”

“You’re not an alien, Goku. You have morals. You’re a hero. These two—“ ChiChi said and paused as she flicked her hand at Piccolo and Vegeta, “They’re villains.”

Gohan’s face darkened and he said, “Vegeta’s fought alongside Dad in almost every major battle, Mom. He’s probably the only reason Dad is still alive, or any of us. Dad could never have beat Buu without Vegeta. Vegeta saved me with Buu. And Piccolo’s been on our side too—“

“He killed your father! Vegeta wouldn’t even be on Earth if not for Piccolo killing your father and that first alien!”

Goku scooted his seat away from ChiChi enough to turn and stare at her. “Is this how you’ve always felt?” Goku asked. Goku’s face looked crushed, on the brink of tears.

ChiChi scoffed. “Of course! These two have caused nothing but trouble since they arrived!”

Goku said, “I asked Piccolo to kill me. I sacrificed myself and killed my own brother to keep the Earth safe. Vegeta and Nappa would have come anyway. And we saved a whole race of people thanks to him telling us about Namek. Gohan’s right, I never would have been able to do half the stuff I’ve done without Vegeta keeping me on my game. Piccolo too. And Piccolo took care of Gohan for a year, trained him, taught him everything he knows. Bulma and Vegeta basically raised Goten when you couldn’t handle it, but I think he and Trunks woulda been best friends and maybe even mates without that. Bulma and I never felt romantic or anything, but we’ve been best friends forever. I don’t like that you’re blaming her. I don’t think anyone’s to _blame_ , Chi.”

ChiChi said, “Goku, you can’t possibly be okay with Goten being…being…being _sexual_ with Trunks. Are you saying you support this madness? If Vegeta and Piccolo hadn’t taught him this aberrant behavior—“

Goten cut her off and said, “Uh, no, I had sex with guys before I ever saw Piccolo and Vegeta together. You don’t make someone gay, Mom. All Vegeta did was make sure I was being safe and respectful, which is more than you or Dad ever did. Neither of you ever talked to me about safe sex or consent or anything.”

ChiChi hissed, “You had _sex_ with other men?”

“Yes, I’ve been gay since forever, Mom,” Goten said, shrugging.

“You are way too young to have sex! Shame on you! You…you…and you’ve…you’ve had sex with Trunks?!” ChiChi said, almost shrieked.

Everyone at the table seemed confused, many pairs of eyebrows coming together. Goten said, “How else do you think people get pregnant, Mom?”

“Men don’t get pregnant! How should I know? Oh Kami, so he’s…he’s…he’s _violated_ you?” ChiChi said, turning white as a sheet.

Trunks snarled, “I didn’t _violate_ my mate. Gross. I would never do that to anyone, but especially not my best friend. Everything we’ve done was very consensual. What the hell, ChiChi?”

Goten gaped at his mother. He said, “I knew it would suck to come out to you, but I didn’t realize it would be this level of embarrassing. Wow. You should be the one who’s ashamed, Mom.” Goten turned to Bulma and said, “I’m gonna go lay down, if that’s okay, Bulma? I feel sick.”

“Of course, sweetie. You want to take some food with you in case you get hungry later? Why don’t you dish up a big plate?” Bulma said.

Goten nodded and started to put food on his plate. ChiChi said, “No, no way, young man. Get your suitcase and then we are going home. We’ll figure out what to do about this pregnancy business after I’ve had a chance to digest it.”

Goten looked at his mother, rolled his eyes, and shook his head. “You good dealing with this bullshit, beautiful?” Goten said to Trunks.

“Yeah, of course, baby. Go rest. I’ll be in after dinner. Reach out if you need me, okay?” Trunks said and squeezed his mate’s hand.

Goten nodded, bent, and gave Trunks a quick kiss before heading inside. ChiChi shrieked, “Goku, get him, get him and we’re going right this second.”

Goku remained seated and eating. He turned to Gohan and said, “So he came out to you, huh?”

“Yeah, last year. Said Vegeta helped him cope with a lot of his struggles. Vegeta helped me with a lot of my own stuff too, after I caught them. He’s the reason Videl and I have such a good relationship, honestly. He gave me really good advice. After I saw it, I realized how he and Piccolo had been obvious the whole time, but because I didn’t know Piccolo had…that type of feeling…I didn’t see it.”

“Huh. Man. Interesting. Is that why you were so riled up after Nappa killed Piccolo?” Goku said to Vegeta.

“Yes. I went a little crazy. I’m glad you resurrected us, Gohan. I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you properly. Thank you, we’ve been very happy. Mostly,” Vegeta said and smirked.

ChiChi darted out of her seat after Goten, Trunks grabbed her, but he was shocked to see Goku had her other arm. Goku said, “Sit down, Chi. Goten can stay the night. You dragging him home tonight against his will won’t help anything. Plus Trunks seems like he gets a little power boost when he’s protecting Goten. You really slammed me hard, Trunks, that was impressive.”

Vegeta snorted happily and said, “Yes, fucking with a Saiyan’s mate is a good way to die.”

“I wonder if a Saiyan-Namekian kid will be even stronger than our kids, huh, ‘Geta?” Goku said, his eyes bright and excited.

Vegeta said, “I would think so, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

“That explains why you and Goten’s chi are so crazy right now, Piccolo. Man, you’re gonna have a baby. That’s so great. I know you love kids,” Goku said.

Trunks watched Piccolo’s face as it morphed through a range of emotions Trunks had never seen. Piccolo said, “Yeah, I’m pretty excited, but I’ve had kids all along. It’s obviously hard for you two to wrap your head around, but Trunks and Bulla _are_ my children. I caught Trunks when he came out. I cut the cord. I was the first one to sense his chi inside Bulma. He’s my firstborn. But yes, I’m still excited to give birth and have another.”

“Did you catch me, Piccy?” Bulla said, looking like she was on the brink of tears.

“I sure did, blueberry. Daddy is a pansy about birth, he can’t even be in the room or he faints,” Piccolo said, laughing as Vegeta turned a shade of purple.

Goku said, “Wow, really, Vegeta? You’ve killed lots of people and eaten aliens and stuff, but you can’t even watch a birth?” Goku looked delighted by this newfound weakness.

“What, are you going to get knocked up so you can give birth in front of me and defeat me, Kakarot?” Vegeta said with a smirk.

Goku’s eyes widened until they almost hit his hairline. “I…I can get pregnant?”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes and said, “Yes. All Saiyan males can get pregnant. Did either of you listen to a word I said tonight?”

“Whoa! Cool! But I’d have to let a guy…” Goku trailed off but made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and poked his finger into the hole.

Vegeta massaged his temples and said, “Yes, Kakarot, you would need someone to fuck your ass and ejaculate inside you.”

“Huh! Guess it’s lucky I wasn’t into that sort of thing when I was young!” Goku said cheerfully.

ChiChi’s skin turned even paler and she croaked, “Are you into it _now_?”

Goku looked thoughtful as he said, “Hmm? Huh? Now? I don’t know, Chi, since I only do it with you. I guess I might like it. I’ve never tried it with a man.”

Vegeta and Piccolo looked like they were about to explode with laughter. Bulma’s lips rolled in as she tried to contain her laughter. ChiChi’s breathing was audible as she said, “I cannot believe that you would do something like that.”

“Well, not while I’m married to you, Chi. I would never cheat on you.”

ChiChi huffed and crossed her arms. Videl said, “So…Gohan could have our next kid if we found a donor?”

Vegeta looked Videl and Gohan over and said, “Yes, he could. Although fertility is triggered by sex, so I’m not sure, you might have to peg him first. But I don’t know if pegging would work. Maybe if you coated the strap-on in semen?” Vegeta contemplated this while the Son clan stared at him wide-eyed.

Bulla said, “What’s pegging? What’s semen?”

Goku said, “Yeah, what’s pegging?”

Videl covered Pan’s ears, her eyes darting to see if Vegeta was going to answer Goku and Bulla. Vegeta said, “It’s when a woman uses a ‘peg’ to fuck a man. Bulla, semen is sperm.”

“Oh, the male part of making a baby!” Bulla said, very pleased with herself. “Can a peg make semen?”

“No,” Bulma answered, her color a little pale too. Trunks wondered if Bulma was imagining the calls they would be getting from Bulla’s preschool after she explained pegging to a bunch of three-year-olds.

Bulla wasn’t done though, and neither was Goku. It didn’t surprise Trunks at all that Goku had similar questions to a precocious toddler. Bulla said, “Mommy, do you pegging Daddy or Piccy?”

Goku said, not even waiting for Bulla to finish, “Wait, so Chi could do me like that? Could I use my own sperm?”

Bulma said, “Sweet gods, the shit I deal with. Bulla, honey, what Mommy, Piccy, and Daddy do is private—“

“But we’re a family, why can’t I know?” Bulla said, her chi rising as it became apparent she might be left out of this particular bit of familial knowledge. 

Trunks said, “Yeah, Bulla. She does.”

“Oh! Fun!” Bulla said and went back to eating.

Vegeta sighed wearily and said, “Kakarot, you can’t mate with yourself. Please do not try that. It would be the highest level of inbreeding and the gods all know your genes can’t afford any further drops in intelligence. Get a donor if you want to have a baby.”

“Would you donate, ‘Geta? We could have a pure-blooded Saiyan baby! Think how strong our baby would be, ‘Geta!” Goku said cheerfully bouncing up and down in his seat.

ChiChi slapped Goku. Trunks didn’t see that coming. ChiChi was maybe just itching to slap _someone_. Trunks’s eyes felt like they would pop out of his head as he watched Goku’s face morph through fury into some semblance of control. 

“What the hell was that for?” Goku said, looking at ChiChi with hurt and anger plain on his face. 

“You just suggested having a child with another man!”

“Not with him, just his sperm. You’d be the one pegging me! Jeez, Chi, you’re kind of hung up on this whole gay thing. What does it matter? Seems like it might be fun to be on the other side of things, you know?” Goku said, rubbing his cheek.

ChiChi stood up and said, “Don’t come home tonight, Goku. Gohan, can you give me a ride home?”

“Sorry, Mom, we flew and I’m not leaving Videl and Pan just so you can have a tantrum,” Gohan said, cringing away from ChiChi, clearly concerned he would receive the next slap.

ChiChi huffed and walked toward the front of Capsule Corp, pulling out her cell phone. 

Vegeta relaxed in his seat and said, “Well, I think that went well.”

Even Goku laughed a little. They ate for a while and then Goku said, “So? What do you think, ‘Geta?”

“No! Good gods, Kakarot! I’m not breeding with you! Especially not with that woman as a vector and mother. The only reason I find your son mating with mine bearable is because we did so much of his rearing.”

Goku’s eyes got big and he said, “Oh man, I’m glad you didn’t say that in front of ChiChi.”

Vegeta said, in a condescending tone, “Well, perhaps next time you ask someone for their sperm, you ought to do it out of ChiChi’s earshot.”

“What about you, Piccolo? You want to donate?” Goku said, grinning.

Piccolo relaxed too and said, “Hard pass, Goku, for all the reasons Vegeta just enumerated.”

“Oh, come on you guys! I could have such a strong kid! Think how amazing it’d be to have a kid that strong!” Goku said, looking truly anguished that none of his friends would knock him up.

“Uh, Dad, I’m right here,” Gohan said, his face wounded.

“Oh, right, but, you know, my kid with a powerful dad,” Goku said.

“Wow, Dad. Just wow.”

“Oh crap, did I hurt your feelings too? Sorry, Gohan. I’m just excited. I didn’t know I could have a baby!” Goku said, back to bouncing in his seat.

“Yeah, I would have told you sooner if not for Mom’s feelings about gay people,” Gohan said with a tired sigh.

Trunks said, “Can I go check on Goten? I imagine he’s feeling pretty shitty after having his mom reject him.” 

“Oh, yeah, hey, Trunks, can I come with you and have a word with him?” Goku said.

“Are you gonna be supportive?” Trunks said, his mate-crazy fog threatening.

“Yeah, I’m not wild about him getting this committed so young, but if Vegeta’s telling the truth, it’s seems like that was out of our hands. And I don’t think Vegeta would lie. He’s kind of honest to a fault, you know?” Goku said, with a wary glance at Vegeta.

“Yeah, I do,” Trunks said and laughed. He waved Goku after himself and left Gohan, Videl, Pan, and Bulla to their awkward meal with his trio of parents.

Trunks showed Goku into the south wing, then stopped suddenly. “Are you gonna try to IT away with him? Because I mean it, Goku,I will find you and I will murder you.”

Goku shook his head and said, “No, sorry about earlier. It was just…surprising. It really never occurred to me that you guys would, you know, feel _that_ way about each other. And I’m telling you, Trunks, if you don’t treat my boy right, I’ll be coming for _you_ , and Vegeta and Piccolo combined won’t save you.”

“Yeah, no worries on that front, Goku. I love him so much. I’m gonna do the best I can to be the best mate ever. I’m so lucky he chose me,” Trunks said, feeling as sappy as Goten accused him of being.

“Darn right, you are. Goten’s a great kid. I’m sad I wasn’t around more for him. But your parents did a great job. Just like they did with you,” Goku said and squeezed Trunks’s shoulder.

Trunks’s cheeks heated. Goku complimenting him touched Trunks. He liked Goku, despite Vegeta’s vitriol, and it felt nice to have Goku think highly of him.

Trunks knocked, since Goku was with him, and said, “Hey, baby, your dad is with me, but he’s not here to do anything bad. Can we come in?”

Trunks’s phone buzzed in his pocket so he assumed that Goten was texting him. But it was Bulma.

_COME BACK ASAP NOW_ , was all it said. Trunks sprinted back out to the patio, realizing with sudden horror, that Goten’s chi wasn’t in their apartment.


	16. The Dragon Radar

“Fuck!” Bulma screeched.

Trunks raced to his mother, Goku on his heels. “What, Mom? Is Ten out here, oh fuck, where’s Ten?”

“Trunks, I need you to remain calm, but I didn’t realize until Vegeta put out some feelers for Goten that one of the tranq guns is missing! I think ChiChi took it because Vegeta said that Goten’s chi isn’t here anymore!”

Trunks heard the words “remain calm” and “tranq gun,” before his eyes covered in the blood-red film of mate-craziness. He launched into the air, feeling for Goten. Goten’s chi was microscopic, alarmingly small, and though they weren’t telepathic like Vegeta and Piccolo, Trunks could usually sense Goten’s state of mind. But now he sensed nothing, just a void where his love’s feelings should be in his mind.

Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo, even Gohan, all trailed him. As he went though, the chi shifted back toward Capsule Corp. It was there and Trunks’s phone blew up again. When he didn’t check the message, it began to ring. He picked it up when he saw it was his mother.

“Trunks, oh gods, oh gods, she’s got the dragon radar! She took the dragon ball radar!” Bulma cried.

Trunks shouted, “Fuck! No! She wouldn’t do that, would she?”

Bulma said, “I don’t know! Tell Goku!”

Trunks shouted to Goku, “She’s got the dragon radar, Goku, can you please IT to her? Please don’t let her take away our kid!”

Goku’s eyes grew huge and Vegeta roared, “Fuck! Fuck! The dragon balls are all at Capsule Corp! I gathered them already! Tell your mother she and Videl have to go stop ChiChi!”

Goku grabbed Trunks’s wrist and they popped out of existence momentarily before rematerializing on the back lawn of Capsule Corp. Goten was on a dolly that ChiChi must’ve found, he was unconscious, and all seven dragon balls were on him. The sky darkened and Shenron swirled up into the unnatural blackness. ChiChi’s eyes met Trunks’s and he knew that she would do it.

Trunks didn’t think, he just slammed into ChiChi and covered her mouth. She struggled against him, bit him savagely, and he cursed, but didn’t move his hand even as she began to tear at the flesh with her teeth. But it made his hand slippery. She got her mouth partially free and began to shout at Shenron.

Trunks gave her the lightest punch he could be certain would knock her out. The light went out of her eyes and Trunks realized that if he killed her, at least he could wish her back for his mate. After the baby was born.

Goku’s hand was on his shoulder. “She down?”

“Sorry, I hope I didn’t kill her,” Trunks said, his chest heaving as the fog of mate-crazies receded.

“Wow. I’m kind of in shock right now,” Goku said. Trunks turned and saw Goku’s eyes were riveted in horror to his wife, like she had transformed into a monster before his eyes. Which Trunks supposed she had.

Trunks checked ChiChi’s pulse. It was steady. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her being alive. He said to Goku, “Keep an eye on her. I want to check on my mate.”

Goku picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and said, “If it’s okay, I think I’m just gonna take her home so she doesn’t get into any more trouble. I’m really sorry, Trunks.”

“It’s okay, Goku, you just saved my baby and maybe my mate. Thanks. We’ll see you soon.”

Goku didn’t leave though, he followed Trunks. Goku said, “Sorry, I want to make sure he’s okay before I leave.”

Trunks knelt next to Goten and caressed his face. His pulse was glacially slow, but his color looked okay. Everyone else finally found them and rushed over to see if Goten was alright. Trunks answered their questions, wanting to ask his own of his mother, but they were all interrupted by a deep booming voice, “Why have I been summoned if there is no wish to be made?”

Trunks shouted, “Oh, man, sorry, Shenron. She, um, she summoned you to do something pretty messed up, but give us just a couple minutes, I’m really sorry.”

“Very well,” the dragon rumbled.

Vegeta turned to Piccolo and said, “I was going to wish my tail back and surprise you.”

Piccolo snorted and said, “Yeah, baby, that’s not really a surprise. You only pissed me off with all your fucking sneaking. Make your wish then.”

“Hey! Can I get my tail back too?” Goku asked.

“Very well, Kaka—“

“Goten and I want tails too!” Trunks said, risking Vegeta’s wrath by cutting him off.

“Fine, okay, let me think about how to word it so Gohan doesn’t get his tail back too. Bulla, do you want a tail?”

“A tail! Yes please!” she said clapping.

Gohan added, “Hey, um, I’m actually pretty okay with having my tail back too, as long as it’s okay with you, Videl?”

“Of course, sweetie,” Videl said and giggled, “I know how you feel about the scar, so I imagine—“

“Shh!!!” Gohan said, turning purple.

“What about Pan?” Vegeta asked gruffly.

“Sure, why not?” Videl answered before Gohan could.

Vegeta turned to Shenron and said, “Please regrow or grow the tails of anyone with any Saiyan blood!”

Shenron’s eyes glowed red and Trunks felt a burning, buzzing sensation on his tailbone. He turned around to see a silky-haired, lavender tail sprout from the top of his cleft. It lengthened and the fur got denser. It hurt while it was growing, but Trunks didn’t care, he was rapt watching his new appendage form, feeling a million new nerves wire into his spinal cord. Trunks gasped at how sensitive it was: it could sense barometric pressure and humidity and temperature, even oxygen levels. It was incredible. He never imagined that Saiyan tails were so useful. So adaptive. He wondered if their tails were half the reason they were such successful conquerers—it would allow them to assess conditions immediately.

Piccolo’s face split open in the biggest shit-eating grin Trunks had ever seen. Trunks’s larger father looked like he was going to cry he was so happy. Vegeta’s tail snaked around Piccolo’s waist and yanked their bodies together as soon as it finished growing. Vegeta growled out, “ _Minaiya_ , oh gods, finally, at last. I can’t believe it never occurred to me to do this sooner…” followed by a rumbling screed of Saiyan. Piccolo answered only in Saiyan and kissed Vegeta deeply.

Trunks picked Goten up in his arms like a bride and said to Bulma, “Is there any way to make the tranquilizer wear off sooner?”

Bulma shook her head and said, “No, sorry, sweetie. If I’d ever had to use it, I might’ve worked on an antidote, but Vegeta always managed to pull himself together when threatened with tranquilizers.”

“Shit. Do you even know how long it lasts? Does it have any side effects?” Trunks said.

“You still have one more wish,” Shenron said in a distinctly pissed off tone.

They all looked around and considered. A slurred voice said, “Imma make my wish now!”

Trunks saw with horror that Goku had set ChiChi down, thinking she was out for the count. But she wasn’t, she was up and starting to speak. Trunks sprang toward her, but Goku beat him to the punch, literally, and gently decked his wife, knocking her out cold again.

Goku said, “Aw, crap, she is going to be so pissed off when she wakes up again. Bulma, I may be staying with you after this. I can’t believe she’d do this!” Goku looked more distraught than Trunks had ever seen him, like he might cry.

“I’m waiting for the wish,” Shenron said, more exasperated than ever.

“Can you come back in six months for the second one?” Goku asked.

“You try my patience, Son Goku. But given your service to Earth and the Namekians, I will allow this one last time,” Shenron said and swirled away, the sky returning to dusk rather than unnatural darkness.

Trunks said, “I’m going to take Goten inside and get him settled in bed. Goodnight!”

“Night, sweetie!” Bulma said, but everyone else seemed lost in their newfound tail interest. Bulma strolled over to Vegeta and Piccolo and it warmed Trunks’s heart when he saw Vegeta’s tail slink over her skin too. She giggled as it caressed up the side of her neck and pulled her first to Vegeta, then to Piccolo so each could kiss her. “Am I allowed in the bedroom tonight or are you two still crazy?” Trunks heard her say to his fathers.

“You better get in there, woman. You’ve been too long without us, I think,” Vegeta said with a smirk and swatted her ass.

Trunks rolled his eyes. He was happy though. Relieved that the dragon balls were safely beyond ChiChi’s reach now. His mate was safely beyond her reach. It still shocked him that ChiChi would do that to her son. It was one thing to wish an unwanted baby away, but to wish away a baby that was eagerly awaited? Longed for? That both parents were ready to have? Trunks shook his head.

* * *

Goten never woke up that night, but Trunks felt him start to stir around dawn. Trunks hurried to get food. Trunks needed to go to the store later to stock their new little kitchen, but he didn’t want to leave Goten that long until he recovered from the tranquilizers. Trunks thought he might be upset when he woke up, depending on what he remembered from the night before.

While Goten floated not quite up to consciousness, Trunks texted his mother, _Should I tell Ten what ChiChi was gonna do? I feel like it sucks enough that it might completely ruin their relationship._

_I don’t think you SHOULD keep something like that a secret, but I understand why you would want to. It’s pretty horrible if she was really going to take his baby from him._

_What if she planned to take our claim too? Take him from me?_

_Don’t go crazy. He’s with you, right?_

_Yeah._

_Just be with him. Tell him the truth. It’s always better in the long run._

Trunks waited patiently for his mate to wake up, reading, and getting some of his things ready for when school started in a few days. He could hardly wait to be out with Goten at school. He knew there would be some people that talked shit, but Trunks didn’t care. He wanted to tell every living soul that he was with his true love at last. That they were…Shit. Trunks realized with sadness that they couldn’t exactly tell people they were _mates_. That would freak humans out. But they had tails already, so wouldn’t they already be coming out as aliens?

Trunks needed to strategize, probably with his mother. Maybe she wouldn’t want them to go to school at all. Capsule Corp was such an enormous economic force in the world, but especially in West City, that he knew he had to defer to his mother to a certain extent on how “out” he and Goten were, both as a couple and as aliens. But no. No. He wouldn’t kowtow to her about them being out as gay. He loved Goten too fiercely to hide it. He’d seen what hiding it did to his fathers all these years. Both of them had been irritable and surly and short-tempered. Trunks knew some of that was just their baseline nature, but now that they’d been free to express their affection for the past two weeks, Trunks noticed a marked change in their level of grumpy. When they weren’t mate-crazy, at least.

Goten mumbled, “Daddy, that you? What the fuck? My head hurts so bad.”

“Hey, baby, do you remember what happened last night?” Trunks asked and kissed Goten softly.

“Uh-uh. My mom came by, she said she wanted to apologize, but she had a thing with her. It was weird. Why would she bring…fuck…my head…you know…the wheelie thing…what are they called? A dolly! Why would she bring that to say sorry?”

“Baby, I…this sucks, and I super don’t want to tell you, because it sucks bad, but I think…I think you need to know the truth. So you can be careful.”

Goten struggled to sit up. Trunks helped him and got him a cup of coffee and a tray of breakfast he’d made while waiting for Goten to wake up. Goten’s eyebrows shot up. “Thanks, Daddy. Breakfast in bed, huh? You sure you want to set that precedent?” Goten grinned at him and started eating. “Oh man, I was starving. I don’t feel like I finished my food last night after my mom was here.” Goten’s eyes moved back and forth, like he was trying to find something, but coming up empty.

“No, you didn’t. She…um…Ten, she stole my mom’s tranq gun and used it on you.”

“What? Why? That sucks! Is that why my head hurts so bad? Did you ask Bulma if it’ll hurt the baby?” Goten said, feeling his belly with intention. His eyes closed tightly. “I want to go do another ultrasound, he feels weaker to me. Oh man, oh fuck, what if…what if it hurt him?” Goten’s eyes filled with tears.

“Hey, no, baby, I’m sure my mom was careful when she made it. But we’ll go talk to her once you finish eating, okay?”

Goten nodded woefully and suctioned up food like a vacuum. Trunks got up to get him more. Goten screeched, “Holy shit!”

Trunks spun around and said, “What? What’s wrong, baby? You okay? Is your head getting worse?”

“You have a tail! Holy shit, it’s so hot! It’s beautiful! Can I touch it?” Goten said, shoveling more food in his mouth while he waited for Trunks to answer him.

“You can do better than that if you want, baby. Feel out your body a little.”

“Oh my fucking gods, Trunks, I have a fucking tail!” Goten screamed and shoved the tray off his lap and sprang out of bed. His beautiful, velvety-looking brown tail whipped back and forth behind him. He grinned at Trunks and said, “Oh my god, Daddy, I love you so much!” He yanked Trunks into a savage kiss and Trunks trembled and groaned as their tails twined together for the first time.

Trunks whimpered, “Oh fuck, fuck, Ten, I’m gonna come if you keep doing that!” Goten’s tail slinked up and down Trunks’s in the most delightful way Trunks could imagine. He was harder than he’d ever been in his life, using every ounce of his will not to blow his load in his sweats.

“No shit, Daddy, I can’t…I can’t stop! It feels too fucking good!” Goten groaned and shoved at Trunks’s pants with one hand while pushing his own down with his other.

Trunks gripped Goten’s ass in his hands and brought their bodies together. Their cocks rubbed tightly against each other, side by side there was so little space between them. Trunks gasped, “Fuck, baby, it’s like having two dicks,” and frotted harder.

Goten breathed, “Yeah, Daddy, oh fuck, yeah, it is.”

Trunks let himself absorb all the fantastic tingling radiating out from every place Goten’s tail touched his. It was like the moment before an orgasm fully took him, the heat and the pleasure, but he rode along the edge of the cliff, not falling into the spasms of finality that normally happened immediately after this stage.

Goten’s helpless mewls of pleasure turned Trunks on even more and his loins clenched hard, more heat pooling in his belly like he was an active volcano. The pressure built along with the almost blinding ecstasy. “You gonna come all over your daddy, Ten?”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Daddy, how does it feel this good for this long? I feel like I might pass out!” Goten clung to Trunks and Trunks loved it. It made him feel strong and capable. Like he had a purpose for his mate, keeping him safe and filling his body with bliss and babies.

“Come for me, baby, come on my cock so I can cover you in my cum, yeah?”

Goten wailed as he splattered them both with giz and Trunks could feel Goten’s orgasm in the base of his skull just like he felt Goten’s other powerful emotions. It set Trunks off. The heat in his belly unspooled and filled him, brimming over and out of him in a shivering wave. He spurted up their chests, hitting both their chins.

Goten still screamed Trunks’s name and was maybe actually losing consciousness as his weight fell heavy in Trunks’s hands where he clutched Goten’s ass. He held Goten against his body, their skin slippery it was so covered in the proof of their pleasure. Goten kissed him deeply, wrapped his arms around Trunks’s neck, and groaned as more cum spilled out of his cock.

They gasped for breath around their kisses. Their tails still twisted together and sent spasm after spasm of pleasure rippling through their bodies. Trunks felt each one that wracked not just himself, but his mate. Goten’s legs were completely out of commission, but Trunks held him up easily. After kissing their way through the final aftershocks, Trunks whispered, “Holy shit, baby. Tails are fun. I love you.”

“Wow. I…I thought I was as mated with you as I could be after you got me pregnant, because I could feel that, you know, like I knew when we conceived, but this…this is a whole next level of…of…of mates. Like now we’re really mates,” Goten purred.

“Yeah, you wanna shower real quick?” Trunks said, laughing at how completely soaked in cum they were.

Goten said, “Uh, if you carry me. My legs are still numb and not really functional. Do you think the tranquilizer caused that or the tail fucking?”

“Maybe the combo. I’ll carry you anywhere, baby,” Trunks murmured, kissing Goten as he took them into their shower.

They cleaned up and Goten said, “Okay. So my mom tranqed me and took me home and you came and got me? How do we have our tails?”

“Oh, baby, it super sucks. I wish she’d done that.”

“What do you mean? What _did_ she do?” Goten said, his eyes filling and his brows crumpling together.

“Baby…she…well…she stole the dragon radar—“

“Oh fuck! Did my dad help her gather the dragon balls?” Tears spilled out of Goten’s eyes. He hastily wiped them away, but Trunks held his face and kissed him.

“No, Goku’s okay with everything. That’s a whole other thing though, a funny thing at least, that I’ll have to tell you about. No, she, um, well, unfortunately Vegeta had gathered them all. They were here. So once she got the radar, she took you and got the balls…”

Goten’s hand clutched his belly, then flew to his mark, looking down to see if it was still there. He breathed fast but said, “I’m still pregnant, oh fuck, I thought…I thought she was gonna do…do what she suggested.”

“Well, that’s the thing…my mom called me the second she realized the radar was missing and Vegeta screamed about the dragon balls, and thank fucking gods your Dad was with me because he IT’d us to your mom and not a second too soon. I, um, well,” Trunks held up his hand, partially healed, but very obviously chewed on, “I covered her mouth because she was starting a wish. She bit the fuck out of me and got her mouth away, and so…um…I’m really sorry, but I knocked her out. And then she woke up after we all got our tails back, and she tried again and your dad knocked her out. So, yeah, she had two concussions in a pretty short time…”

Goten sobbed and said, “Fuck her! She can have more concussions!” He covered his mouth with his hand and wrapped around Trunks as he cried for a long time. Trunks couldn’t even imagine how he would feel if his mother tried to abort his baby against his will. The horror of such a betrayal from the one person who was supposed to love him unconditionally was staggering to Trunks just with empathy. If it were Bulma, he might throw up.

Goten choked out, “I can’t believe she’d do that to me! To us! Oh, Daddy, thank you! Thank you for stopping her!”

“Thank your dad, baby,” Trunks said and told Goten about the rest of the evening. Goten giggled about his dad asking for sperm donors, but looked pretty sad again about ChiChi slapping Goku. Trunks felt grateful again that despite all their secrecy andsurliness, his parents—all three of them—were supportive. They all loved him and did their best to stand behind him, even when they disagreed with his choices.

Trunks found Bulma in the lab, looking very chipper, humming to herself. She saw them and her face fell. She said, “Hey, guys, how’re you both doing? Last night went significantly worse than I’d imagined it going. Though Goku’s response was a pleasant surprise. He’s in the guest room next to your room, Trunks. ChiChi kicked him out when she came to, I guess she tried to slap him again. He was pretty upset last night, so it might cheer him up to see you.”

Goten’s eyes lit up. He smiled hesitantly and said, “Do you think…do you think he might like to come see the baby? I want you to check on him after the tranquilizers, if you don’t mind, Bulma.”

Bulma patted Goten’s cheek and said, “I think he’d love that, sweetie. Trunks you wanna go get Goku?”

Trunks considered leaving Goten, but even though Bulma was there, the thought made his vision cloud and his chi skyrocketed. Bulma said, “Nope. Okay, you both go. See you back here whenever you’re ready to not be crazy during the ultrasound.”

Trunks only nodded. He couldn’t speak yet. He had his hand on Goten’s lower back and he was feeling his baby’s chi. Trunks was worried too. Their baby’s chi hadn’t grown as much as it did every other day. What if the tranquilizer alone had done what ChiChi wanted? Trunks began to panic, but Goten turned into his arms and kissed him deeply.

Goten whispered, “Stop, Daddy. Not yet. Let’s see, okay? Don’t get scared yet, for me? Okay?”

Trunks nodded and they made their way toward the guest room. Trunks wrapped his arm around Goten’s waist and kissed his mate’s shoulder. It would be good to see the baby again.


	17. Goku

They reached Goku’s room and looked at each other. They took a deep breath. Goten knocked and said, “Hey, Dad, it’s me. Can I talk to you for a sec?”

They heard sniffling and a long, silent few minutes passed. Goku opened the door, his eyes a little red, a little puffy. Trunks didn’t even know Goku _could_ cry. Goku was so fucking jovial all the time. Goku said nothing, only threw his arms around Goten and squeezed him tight. Goten wrapped his arms around his father and buried his face in Goku’s big shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Dad! I’m sorry she’s mad at you too!” Goten choked out. Trunks struggled with his mate-craziness. He rationally knew that Goten was not in danger from Goku. That his tears were emotional tears, not distress that any violence could remedy.

“Baby, I’m gonna go, um, go hit the gravity room for just a few minutes. I’m…I’m getting stressed,” Trunks said, spreading his hand on Goten’s lower back.

Goten pulled his teary, swollen face away from his father and said, “Yeah, okay, Daddy. I’m gonna talk to my dad for a few minutes and I’ll see you back in Bulma’s lab? You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, just getting out ahead of it,” Trunks said and pecked Goten’s cheek before he fled. Part of him wanted to stay and hear what had happened with ChiChi and Goku, but Trunks barely had a grip on his non-mate-crazy self as it was. Hearing about more of ChiChi’s bullshit would likely push Trunks into full mate-crazy.

He stepped into the GR and stopped, stunned. Piccolo was shoved up on the sloped counter near the control panel and Vegeta’s head was between his bare legs. Vegeta’s tail was moving in a suggestive way. Piccolo shrieked, “Fuck! I thought she put a lock on it!” He shoved Vegeta away from his crotch.

Trunks spun around, covering his eyes, and shouted, “Why can’t you two have sex in normal places! Why!? Why where we all train!? Gross!”

Vegeta growled, “Get out!”

“I’m going crazy! I want to train! Why don’t you two go find a fucking bed!” Trunks kept his eyes closed tightly. “For fuck’s sake! Have you always been like this and I just got lucky by never catching you!?”

Piccolo laughed and patted his shoulder. He at least had pants on now, though no shirt. “We’ll go, kid, you can train. Where’s Goten?”

“He’s talking to Goku and he started crying and it…it…” Trunks trailed off.

“Yeah, I get it. Sorry you walked in on us. Vegeta said he locked the fucking door,” Piccolo said, casting a glare at Vegeta. Trunks saw, to his horror, that he could see his sperm-father’s hard-on through his training shorts. Piccolo at least wore loose training clothing.

“But why do you do it in here at all?!” Trunks whined.

“Don’t you ever get frisky when you fight with Goten?” Piccolo asked and Trunks thought he looked genuinely concerned that Trunks might not. Like that was some defect.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business!” Trunks squeaked.

Piccolo rolled his eyes and smiled. “Well, Vegeta and I get frisky when we train. That’s why. It’s not on purpose. We were training and one thing led to another. Maybe now that you’re admitting you love Goten, you’ll feel it too,” Piccolo said and wiggled his eyebrows. He turned back to Vegeta, “Come on, baby, let’s go to our room.”

“Very well. It’s weird to use beds for an activity that has so many fluids. Humans are weird,” Vegeta grumbled. He smirked and ruffled Trunks’s hair. “Now you don’t have to feel left out that your mate caught us fucking,” Vegeta said and chortled as he pushed Piccolo out of the GR with a hand on his mating mark. “Come, _minaiya,_ I have a better idea than our bedroom.”

“Oh yeah? Where’s that, baby?” Piccolo said.

Trunks watched, even though they’d grossed him out, because it was nice to see them both at ease. Both happy. He’d never had Vegeta do something like pat his head before. Something so casual. Almost intimate.

“We haven’t been to our waterfall in forever, let’s go revisit it in celebration of our fertility,” Vegeta said and floated up to kiss Piccolo’s mouth.

Piccolo rose up too and they both waved at Trunks as they bolted out of view. Trunks shook his head. The upside of his revolting discovery was that he was no longer mate-crazy.

Trunks trotted back toward Bulma’s lab, but he found Goku and Goten sitting out on a bench in one of Panchy’s gardens. Goten lit up when he saw Trunks. Goku did too. Goku said, “Hey, Trunks! Sorry about that. Goten was just explaining the mate-crazies to me! That must be pretty intense, huh?”

“Oh, uh, yeah, it can be. Goten’s better about it than I am. But it’s not surprising, since I’m Vegeta’s progeny, that I’m a little high-strung,” Trunks said, laughing and glancing to see if his fathers and their hard-ons would have been visible from here.

“I saw Vegeta and Piccolo fly off. They doing okay with everything between you two? Or all the other stuff. Seems pretty complicated to have three people. But I don’t think I’d ever seen Vegeta…happy…until last night,” Goku said, his brow furrowing, “I thought I had, but then all these interactions between the three of them came back to me and they made so much more sense. I don’t understand why Chi’s mad about that, but boy, she is.”

“Maybe she’s worried you’ll get a boyfriend,” Goten teased and bumped shoulders with his father.

Goku scratched the back of his neck and giggled. “I…Yeah, no, I don’t think so. But I guess I don’t know. I’ve been with Chi since I was pretty near your age, Trunks. And I love her. I hope…” Goku’s voice petered out and his eyes went far away. He shook his head. “What she did last night wasn’t right. You two sure shocked the heck out of both of us, but that was too rash. It seems that the time for changing things has passed. I want to be supportive. I don’t know if Chi will come around, but Bulma said I can stay here until I figure something else out. It’s like Bulma runs an alien hotel,” Goku said trying to smile.

Goten seemed anxious as he said, “Um, hey, Dad, Bulma has an ultrasound, and the baby’s chi is weird since I got tranquilized by Mom, so, um, if, like, if it won’t freak you out, I thought, you know, um, like, if you—“

Trunks saved his mate from his awkward, nervous rambling. “You want to come see the baby with ultrasound, Goku?”

Goku’s eyes widened and filled. He turned from Trunks to Goten. “Is…is that okay, son? Can I see my grand-baby?” A smile crept onto his face and he continued, “I never got to see you in ChiChi, and we didn’t do any of that with Gohan. And…you know, Goten, I…I’m proud of you for knowing what you want. For going for it, even if it’s not what your mom or me would’ve thought or chosen. You’re gonna be a great dad.”

Goten threw his arms around Goku again and said, “Thanks, Dad. I’m excited for you to see him. He’s already so strong, you’ll see!”

Trunks took Goten’s hand and Goku trailed along after them. He said, “So, hey, Goten, you guys really just got together at the beginning of the cruise?”

“Yup. Why?” Goten asked, looking over his shoulder.

“You guys just seem…comfortable. Like you’ve been together a lot longer,” Goku said. Trunks wondered if Goku had ever had that ease in his relationship with ChiChi.

The happiest thing about finding out about Trunks's weird trifecta of parents was that all of them seemed much happier, much more at ease, and more relaxed now that it was out of the shadows. Trunks realized that maybe that was only because they really loved one another, not because it was open.

Goten giggled and swatted Trunks’s butt. Trunks blushed and whispered, “Baby!”

Goten said to Goku, “Yeah, Dad, we’ve been best friends for forever, so we’ve always been together. Really all that’s changed is now we’re having sex. Trunks is still my best friend. He’ll always be my best friend.” Goten turned back to Trunks as he said the last part and Trunks’s insides melted.

“You’re my best friend too, Ten. Always. I loved you before, but I love—“ Trunks stopped himself, and his cheeks burned. He grinned helplessly and continued, “I love being your mate even more.”

“Me too, Daddy!” Goten said. Now Trunks was certain his face would actually catch fire.

Goku scratched his head and said, “Are you practicing calling Trunks ‘Daddy’ for once the baby gets here?”

Trunks thought it was adorable that Goku didn’t even know daddy kink was a thing. Goten giggled more as he met Trunks’s eyes and said, “Yeah, that’s why.”

“What’s the baby gonna call you, Goten?” Goku asked.

“Papa, probably. That’s what Trunks used to call Vegeta when Piccolo was Daddy,” Goten said with a little shrug. A smirk still danced on his lips and Trunks wanted to kiss it off his mouth. Trunks smiled helplessly at his mate.

“Wow. I tell you what, I think I’m reeling from that more than you two. I always thought you two were a little sweet on each other, but I didn’t know, you know, how that would work. But man, Piccolo and Vegeta. That’s wild. Don’t you just wonder how they got together? What was that conversation like?”

Trunks and Goten both snickered and Goten said, “I kinda think there maybe wasn’t a whole lot of talking, from what I’ve seen of those two. They’re…um…physical guys, Dad.”

“Well, yeah, all fighters are. I’m a physical guy, but Vegeta was super mean when I met him, but I guess he was impressively strong, so maybe that’s what put Piccolo on to him. I wonder if Vegeta met me first if my strength—“

Trunks cut Goku off, “Nope. I don’t think it’s about strength, Goku. And, uh, don’t ever say anything like that in front of the two of them. They get mate-crazy too, and, well, Vegeta’s mate-crazies are…intense.”

Goku said, “Oh. Huh. Okay. I still want to know how it happened. Do you think they’d tell me if ChiChi wasn’t around?”

Trunks laughed and said, “You do understand that they had sex that first day, right? Like you’re basically asking for the details of how they fucked.”

Goku’s eyes went wide. “Oh! I…wow…okay. No, I guess I didn't realize that. Man, you guys sure all swear a lot. Chi does not like swear words.”

Trunks was glad they’d arrived in Bulma’s lab so the conversation could end. Bulma saw Goku and her face fell a little. “Hey, Son, how you doing? I’m sorry things went so poorly last night. I thought I could bring ChiChi around but all the facts came to light…fast. I should have warned Bulla to be quiet. I forget that she has no filter.” Bulma shook her head and took a deep breath.

“Don't worry about it, Bulma. I’m still…shocked. Not just by you guys and by the boys, but by how Chi acted. But I’m doing okay. I think Trunks will be a good…mate…for Goten. He better be,” Goku said the last part with a bit of a growl and his eyes flashed as they met Trunks’s eyes. It startled him a little. He wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of Goku’s murderous-hero glare.

Goten snarled, “Of course he’s a good mate! Don’t ever say anything like that again!” Goten got between Trunks and Goku and his chi roared up until he transformed.

Trunks reached under his arms and hugged him from behind, pressing his fingertips to Goten’s mark. He twined their tails together. Both of them shivered with pleasure. “It’s okay, baby. I’m safe.”

Goten hissed, “Trunks is _mine_.”

Trunks could see Bulma gesturing and mouthing something to Goku. Goku stared in confusion, scratching his head. Then his face lit up. “Oh! Yeah! Yup! Trunks is mine! I mean, oops, yours!” Goten roared and lunged for Goku. Goku squeaked, “He’s yours! Trunks is yours, Goten! He’s your mate!”

Trunks tried to hold Goten back but he was powered up and full mate-crazy. It was the first time Trunks had witnessed his own mate in the throes of that madness. It turned Trunks on so much that he was getting hard. Weird. Mating was weird. Trunks sprang after Goten and wrapped around him from behind before he pummeled a confused Goku. Trunks rocked his hard-on against Goten’s ass and Goten breathed, “Oh, fuck, yes!”

Trunks whispered, “Come on, baby, come with me for a second.”

Bulma’s jaw dropped open and Trunks shrugged and sprinted up the stairs out of the lab with Goten. He shoved him into the closest bathroom, yanked down their pants, and slammed Goten against the door. Trunk spread Goten’s ass open and thrust into his mate’s wet, hungry opening. Goten groaned and their tails twisted together tightly. He bucked back against Trunks, clutching at Trunks’s head over his shoulder.

“Daddy, oh gods, yes, that feels better. Fuck, yes, fuck me hard, Daddy!”

Trunks’s cock twitched inside his slippery mate and the heat of Goten’s core made him moan against Goten’s shoulder. His belly heated and he purred, “Baby, I love you so much. Fuck. It feels so good to have our tails. I love fucking you, baby. You’re mine, Ten. Mine.”

“You’re mine too, Trunks. Forever. Oh fuck, I’m so close!” Goten rasped.

Trunk pulled Goten off the door and turned. Goten hooked his feet behind Trunks’s knees. Trunks faced the mirror so he could see Goten’s cock bobbing up and down with every plunge. Trunks reached around and caressed Goten’s balls. He sucked on the side of Goten’s neck. Trunks tugged on Goten’s balls more before dipping his fingertips back to get some of Goten’s slick lube.

Goten moaned as Trunks’s fingers ran up and down his wet taint until his hand was slathered. “Fuck, baby, you’re so wet for me. It’s so hot how wet you are.”

“Daddy, holy shit. I love watching you fuck me,” Goten said, and they stared into each other’s eyes in the mirror.

Trunks wrapped his slippery hand around Goten’s shaft and squeezed up over his head and back down. Goten’s head lolled back onto Trunks’s shoulder. Trunks said, “I want to watch your cum spray out of you, baby. I want your prick to shoot off while I watch. You gonna come for me, baby? You gonna let your sweet ass grip me?”

Goten’s eyes met his in the mirror and his mouth fell open as he wailed. Goten’s slit erupted and big, heavy ropes of cum splattered the sink and counter as Trunks rammed up into his mate. Goten’s ass seized powerfully on Trunks’s cock, gripping and releasing him so perfectly that Trunks growled, “Oh fuck, Ten, oh fuck, you want me to come inside you? You’re making me come, baby!”

“Come inside me, Daddy! Fill me up! Fuck me hard!” Goten pleaded and dropped forward to hold the edge of the counter and slam back against Trunks. The tight, pleasant heat in Trunks’s pelvis roared through his body and his balls tightened. He could feel the cum spurting out of him to meet his mate’s need and it turned him on to know how good his seed would make Goten feel.

Goten panted and surged more slowly against Trunks. Trunks shifted his arms to brace Goten’s chest up so his mate wouldn’t have to use his arms to hold himself. Trunks worried that Goten would think Trunks was doing it out of a belief that Goten was weak, but Trunks only wanted to support his mate. To feel his body against Trunks’s arms. He only wanted Goten to feel his love and his care and how he treasured his perfect mate.

Goten didn’t seem upset by the gesture and instead removed his hands from the counter, laid his arms over Trunks’s, and laced their fingers together. “Thanks, Daddy. Wow. I’ve never…never had it that bad before. I’m sorry that keeps happening to you. It’s overwhelming. And…I feel, like…like…”

“Hungover?” Trunks offered softly.

Goten met his eyes in the mirror and reared back so Goten’s back pressed against Trunks’s chest. “Yeah, dude, hungover is the perfect word.”

“I know. I’m sorry, baby,” Trunks murmured, kissing along his mates sculpted, muscular shoulders.

Goten gave him a half-smile in the mirror. “Oh, crap. I guess we better clean up and get back to the lab!”

Trunks had forgotten about the fact that Bulma and Goku were essentially waiting for them to finish fucking. Being mated was surreal. Trunks supposed maybe Bulma was used to waiting around for a couple of mate-crazy idiots to fuck their way out of the red haze. He eased out of Goten, grimacing, and set his mate down. They cleaned themselves and the bathroom up. Trunks pulled his pants up.

Goten zipped himself and smirked at Trunks. “That was so hot, Daddy, even if it was because I was crazy.”

Trunks stole a quick kiss, took his mate’s hand, and hurried back down to the lab. Goku turned purple when he met Trunks’s eyes as they returned. Bulma rolled her eyes and said, “Doing better? All under control?”

“Yeah, um, sorry,” Goten said shyly. Trunks thought his mate was even cuter when he blushed.

Trunks murmured in Goten’s ear, “I’m not.”

Goten smirked at him, but his eyes darted back to his dad. “Sorry I came after you, Dad. It’s, um, it’s not easy to control when I go crazy.”

“I wonder why I never have that with Chi?” Goku said and held his chin.

Bulma said, “Neither Piccolo nor Vegeta get it with me. Apparently it only happens with a pair that’s claimed or ready to claim.”

“So…so the claim is the bite-y thing?” Goku said, furtively looking at the bite marks that peaked out of the top of Trunks and Goten’s tanks.

Bulma said, thoughtfully, “The mating mark is certainly integral, but what research I’ve been able to do with Vegeta and Piccolo seems to show that it’s more than the mark. The mark is like where they’re connected, like an outlet that each plugs into. But there’s low-level telepathy, at the very least, and there are more…visceral…effects.”

Goku’s eyebrows furrowed and he asked, “Like what?”

Bulma covered her eyes with her hand and sighed. “Goku, oh my gods, okay. I don’t know if this is more generalized or just Picc and Vegeta, but they can, you know, feel when the other one comes. Like inside themselves.”

Goku turned a new shade of red. “Yeah, I mean, Chi can feel when I do that inside her too, so I don’t think that’s a _mating_ thing.”

“Dad, gross! That isn’t what Bulma means! Like, Trunks feels my orgasm in his brain, like he has my orgasm. And I feel his. Not just his cum, but the pleasure. It’s really cool. It’s like an amplified orgasm.”

Bulma and Goku were both bright red now. Goten seemed to suddenly realize what he’d just said. He flushed and said, “Well! You asked!”

Goku closed his mouth and turned to Bulma and said, “I want to be like that! If I bite Chi will that happen? Do you get that with them?”

“No, sorry, Goku. A claim isn’t something you can make happen. If you bite her, you’ll just hurt her. You might leave a scar, but it’s not a claim. Trust me, a claim is a mixed bag. Picc and Vegeta are insane at times. Trunks and Goten too, and not always in a ‘let’s have tons of sex’ way. You should see when Picc and Vegeta have an argument. It’s like…like fighting yourself, you can’t really win or lose, it’s just miserable.”

Goku nodded and looked sad. “I sure wish we had that. I bet she wouldn’t have slapped me if we were, um, mated or claimed or whatever.”

“Well, hopefully she’ll get herself straightened out, Goku. In the meantime, you’re always welcome here,” Bulma said and rubbed Goku’s back.

He smiled weakly at her. He turned to Goten and said, “Wanna show me the baby now that you and Trunks did whatever you do to get past the mate-crazies?”

Goten blushed, but nodded enthusiastically. He hopped up on the counter and pulled his shirt up to expose his fuller belly. Trunks thought the baby’s chi had rebounded, but he couldn’t be sure. He was nervous and scared that his son had been hurt by the tranquilizers. Or worse. He began to panic again.

Goten squeezed his hand. “Daddy, stay with me. We have each other.”

Bulma snickered, Trunks assumed about Goten’s continual public use of “Daddy.” She wheeled the ultrasound over. She fired it up and told Goku to move so he could see the screen. He obeyed silently. She squirted the clear gel on Goten’s belly and applied the wand. She smiled as the baby appeared, kicking and punching, his little tail curled up under his butt. She flicked a switch and the comforting sound of the baby’s fast heartbeat over Goten’s slow pulse filled the room.

Trunks glanced at Goku. Goku’s eyes were huge and his mouth hung open. “Oh, jeez, you really are pregnant. Wow. That’s a lot to take in. I can’t believe it. Look at his little tail!” Goku said and gestured as the baby’s tail whipped around as he flipped in Goten’s womb. Trunks thought Goku’s eyes were glassy. “Wow. Look at that. My baby is going to be a dad.”

Bulma clicked away on the machine and said, “Hmm…well he seems hale and hearty. I wonder if he was just drowsy this morning if the tranquilizer took longer to get out of his tiny system. I can’t rightly say if his growth is on track because I’m not sure how much he would grow in twenty-four hours. Probably not a measurable amount, even though this is a high-res ultrasound.”

Trunks said, “But…he looks healthy?”

“He looks great, and he’s moving around, and his pulse is on track and regular. I bet he just got sluggish from the drugs. Pretty cool, huh, Goku? They’re going to have their hands full!”

“I guess so! Huh. Crazy. And this is what’s in Piccolo too?”

Goten, Trunks, and Bulma all looked at Goku in confusion. “Do you mean that there’s a baby in Piccolo’s womb too?”

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. It’s kinda confusing that boys can have babies,” Goku said, his face scrunched up like he was thinking very hard.

“Piccolo does have a baby in his womb. He and Goten seem to be at about the same stage, but that makes sense since they likely got pregnant within a day or two of each other.”

“Did you guys plan that?” Goku said.

Once again, all three of them gaped at Goku. “No! Piccolo didn’t _plan_ to get pregnant at all. He and Vegeta were infertile for so many years that it was a _huge_ shock for them. The fact that it coincided with Trunks finally figuring out he was gay for Goten was just that, a coincidence,” Bulma said.

Trunks said, “I always knew I was gay for Goten! I just didn’t know Goten was gay!”

“I thought you two were best friends? You didn’t even tell Trunks you were gay?” Goku said, his tone suspicious.

“Dad, it’s complicated between male friends sometimes if one is gay. Especially if they’re also in love with the other party. I didn’t want to freak him out.”

Goku looked angry. “He should accept you for who you are if he’s your best friend!” Goku nearly shouted.

“Yeah, Dad, jeez, simmer down. You’re gonna make Trunks get mate-crazies! He does. Why are you getting all mad about this?”

“Someone who says they love you should love all of you! Are you sure this isn’t just some weird Saiyan mind control stuff? Are you sure you really love him, Goten?” Goku said and Trunks’s mind began to fog.

Goten growled, “Say that again and I will end you. Of course I love him. I’ve always loved him, and he’s also always loved me. He just didn’t want to make me uncomfortable! You don’t know anything about love, so you don’t get to criticize us or our friendship!”

Goku’s eyes filled and his lip trembled as he said, “You don’t need to be mean just because me and your mom have a different kind of love. Vegeta said it’s not the norm to find a mate! Seems like you just got lucky!”

“Yeah, I did get lucky!” Goten said, “But not because of a Saiyan claim. I got lucky that Trunks loves me back. We loved each other before we knew about any of the Saiyan stuff!” Goten’s eyes filled and his voice shook, “Don’t start acting like Mom! I thought you were happy for me?!”

“I am happy for you! I’m just unhappy for myself!” Goku said, breathing hard he was so worked up. Tears spilled down Goku’s cheeks and he frantically wiped at them.

Trunks’s eyes widened and he saw Bulma’s pop too. Goten softened and hugged Goku. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m really sorry. That sucks.”

Goku blubbered. Trunks was in complete shock and he was not alone. Bulma awkwardly patted his back. “Oh, Goku. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay,” she said, but Trunks thought she sounded entirely unconvinced.

“No it won’t! I don’ t…I don’t like how she reacted! I don’t know how to move past her hitting me and what she was going to do to our son. I don’t like how mean she was about Piccolo and Vegeta and about me being interested in new information about my body that I didn’t know! It…it sucks to find out someone you love is…is…isn’t who you thought they were,” Goku said and sniffled.

Bulma said, “Yeah, but maybe you’ll find forgiveness and she’ll find that she was wrong. Give it a little time before you despair. Right now I think we should go have some food, huh? I’ll bet Goten’s hungry if it’s anything like when I was growing Trunks and Bulla.”

Goten’s smile covered Goku, Bulma, and Trunks in its sunshine-like warmth. “I’m starved, Bulma. I don’t know how I'm even gonna eat enough to keep the little guy happy! Poor Piccolo, he’s not used to eating like a Saiyan. Maybe that’s why he’s so sick!”

Bulma’s face warped into a thoughtful frown. “You know, that’s actually a pretty good theory, Goten. Huh. I might have to talk to him about that.”


	18. A Taste for Truth

“Talk to who about what?” Vegeta said strolling into the lab. Piccolo trailed behind him with their fingers twined together. Bulla rode on Piccolo's shoulders, looking sleepy. Both Trunks’s fathers grinned and murmured something to Bulma as they each gave her a kiss.

Trunks overheard Bulma whisper, “You get it under control?”

“Yes. Sorry,” Vegeta said, almost too softly for Trunks to hear. Trunks was intrigued. He wondered if Vegeta had gone mate-crazy on Bulma on their first night with his regrown tail. Vegeta’s tail was coiled around his waist, but the end flicked off and brushed against Piccolo periodically, like it was checking to make sure they were close. Trunks realized at the same moment that he and Goten had their tails twisted together a little at the end.

Trunks glanced at Goku’s tail. He wondered how ChiChi had handled that new development, on top of everything else. Goku’s tail hung somewhat listlessly behind him. Like it reflected Goku’s general mood.

Bulla clambered down Piccolo onto Vegeta’s shoulder and leapt into Bulma’s arms. Bulma said, “Oh gods, blueberry, you are getting too heavy to leap into Mommy.”

Goten said, “Hey, Piccolo, we were just thinking maybe you feel so shitty because you’re trying to feed a Saiyan baby, but you don’t have a Saiyan stomach, so maybe you just need to eat more, but like constantly, instead of the way we do in gigantic meals.”

It was a marvel to Trunks that Piccolo truly could get greener when he didn’t feel well. He said, his face a mask of disgust, “Gods, you might be right, Goten, but the thought makes me nauseous. Fucking baby is making eating like playing Russian roulette.”

“Not fair that I don’t get to say ‘fucking’ while you grow the baby, Piccy!” Bulla whined.

“Talk to your mom, blueberry, I don’t give a fuck what you say,” Piccolo said and arched an eyebrow at Bulma. Vegeta held a hand over his mouth, clearly trying to remain a neutral observer.

Bulma glared and said, “Don’t make me be the bad guy because I don’t want our daughter talking about cocks and pegging at pre-school!”

Piccolo said, “She’s too bright to go to human pre-school anyway, it’s a waste of time and money!”

“We don’t send her for the school, we’ve been over this, we send her for the socialization, which she definitely needs,” Bulma said, kissing Bulla’s temple.

Vegeta’s face moved through every shade of red, but he kept quiet. Piccolo’s expression darkened and his chi started to rise. Bulma said, “Don’t think you can fool me, honey, I know fake mate-crazies when I see them. You just don’t want to have to adjust your language even though you know I’m right!”

Trunks looked wide-eyed to Piccolo. Piccolo’s expression was pure rage. “Don’t fucking talk to me about parenting right now, Bulma!”

Trunks wondered what _that_ was about. But no answer was forthcoming as Goku said, “Um, hey, I, uh, I think I’m gonna go train since it seems like you guys have…stuff…to talk about.” The big Saiyan sidled toward the door.

“What did the harpy say about your tail, Kakarot?” Vegeta said as his own tail unwrapped from his waist and coiled around Piccolo’s thigh.

“Oh, uh, yeah, that did not go over well. Nothing really went over well,” Goku said and slumped, his tail drooping even more.

“Wrap it around your waist, Kakarot, it’s disgraceful to let it drag that way, even if you are depressed,” Vegeta said with a scoff and crossed his arms.

“Yours isn’t around your waist,” Goku said and gestured to Vegeta’s tail.

Goten and Trunks should have made popcorn. Trunks glanced at Goten and he looked almost giddy at the scene that might be about to unfold. They scooted closer together and their tails twined more tightly. It made Trunks’s belly heat and a shiver run through him.

Vegeta took a step toward Goku and Piccolo rolled his eyes and followed when Vegeta’s tail didn’t loosen. Piccolo said, “Can I not be a part of your tail-dick measuring, baby?”

“What’s tail-dick, Piccy?” Bulla asked.

Bulma hissed, “Are you doing it on purpose, Piccolo?”

“What did I just say to you?” Piccolo growled and strode ominously in her direction, which had the comedic effect of dragging Vegeta along as his tail remained unrelenting in its attachment to Piccolo’s leg.

“My tail is wrapped around my _mate_ , Kakarot, which is the best place of all for a tail, but when you’re alone, it should either be wrapped around your waist or up and proud behind you—“

“Like me, Kakarot!” Bulla shouted and waggled her tail high behind her head. “Mommy, why are you mad about Piccy’s tail-dick?”

Goten giggled and whispered in Trunks’s ear, “Your family is so entertaining, Daddy.”

Trunks’s tail squeezed Goten’s and he wrapped his arm around Goten’s waist as he kissed his cheek and said, “You’re one of us now, baby.” But Trunks didn’t like that two full-grown, pure-blooded Saiyans and a pregnant, moody Namek were blocking the only exit for Trunks and his mate. It was funny for the moment, but Trunks wasn’t certain that it would stay sane or safe.

Goku’s face twisted up in a scowl and he said, “You don’t have to be mean, Vegeta! You said claiming a mate was rare!”

“Yes, well, that doesn’t mean you have to marry the first thing that stumbles onto your cock,” Vegeta said with a sneer.

Goku’s chi roared up and he went super Saiyan. “I’m not in the mood for you to be yourself, Vegeta! You won’t even be a sperm donor so I can have a Saiyan kid, you big jerk! I made ChiChi mad for nothing!”

Every eyebrow in the room shot up and Trunks saw that Goku’s transformation set off Piccolo’s mate-crazies, which Trunks sort of wanted to see when it wasn’t directed at himself or his mother. Piccolo dropped into fighting stance and before anyone could do anything, slammed into Goku with a feral roar.

Bulma shrieked, “Not in my fucking lab, you assholes!”

Vegeta’s tail let go of Piccolo’s leg, but not before a good hard yank that left Vegeta swearing and holding his ass. Trunks couldn’t help snickering at his sperm father getting his tail pulled. Vegeta went super Saiyan. As he lunged into the boiling mass of green and gold, an airhorn went off.

Trunks and Goten cringed together, covering their ears. Bulla swatted the airhorn across the room and screeched, “Mean, Mommy! Bad, Mommy! That hurt my ears!” Bulla leapt onto Goku and bit him hard enough that he squealed. Bulla snarled, “Leave Piccy alone, stupid Kakarot! Piccy is growing a baby!”

“Ow! Jeez, Bulla! He started it!” Goku whined.

“You made Piccy mate-crazy by yelling at Daddy! Don’t yell at Daddy. He is your rightful king!” Bulla said and puffed out her chest as she stepped on Goku’s head. His shoulder had a bloody, open wound. She had bitten a chunk out of his muscle.

Trunks said, “Bulla, did you…did you swallow part of Goku’s shoulder?”

Bulla’s eyes blazed blue and she shouted, “I eat the flesh of my enemies!” followed by forced, maniacal laughter as she put her hands on her hips. Some of her villainous appearance was mitigated by the fact that she was still wearing footies. Yet there was something uniquely terrifying about a super-Saiyan, pig-tailed, two-year-old laughing with a bloody maw while still in her PJs.

Piccolo bit out, “He’s fucking _mine_ , Goku!”

“Jeez, all of you are kinda high strung about…about your boyfriends! Maybe it’s lucky I’m not gay! Or I don’t think so. I don’t really know if you can know if you don’t give it a try,” Goku said, scratching his head thoughtfully, but continued on, “But it seems to make you guys pretty crabby.”

Piccolo’s eyes were visibly red and he struggled with himself and Vegeta’s arms around him. Trunks stared in fascination and said, “Baby, do my eyes get red?”

“A little, but I don’t think I knew to look that first time, and that’s the only time you were this far gone. Do you think he’s going to kill my dad? Should I step in or will that make you mate-crazy?”

“I think…” Trunks started to speak, but it really was like a drug. His mother should study that, like maybe they just got a flood of PCP. “Whoa. Nope. You are not stepping in. Ugh, yuck, I think Vegeta just needs to go fuck Piccolo or he’s not going to calm down.”

“Why yuck? They obviously have really hot sex, Daddy,” Goten said matter-of-factly.

Trunks made a gagging noise. “Gross! That’s my parents!”

“Well! Better that than whatever my parents have going on, which is maybe absolutely nothing given how hard my dad is trying to get your dad’s sperm in his butt. Maybe Vegeta should just fuck him to get it out of my dad’s system,” Goten said quietly.

Not quietly enough to avoid Namek ears, apparently, because Piccolo rounded on them. Piccolo growled, “What the fuck did you just say?” and Trunks felt the red, hot haze of his own crazy arrive.

Trunks shoved Goten behind himself and hissed, “Try me, Dad, I will fucking wreck you!”

Piccolo’s eyes turned even redder and his fangs _grew_ as he roared, “Vegeta is fucking _mine_ and I’m sick of everyone trying to fucking steal him and everyone trying to trick him into being with other people! He is _MINE_!” Piccolo bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Trunks snarled back, “You can fucking keep Vegeta, but get away from my fucking mate!”

“He’s trying to take Vegeta from me! To give him to Goku!”

“ _Minaiya_! Stop this madness! It insults me that you think I would fuck Kakarot under any circumstances!” Vegeta snapped.

“I am _right_ here! I’m pretty good in bed!” Goku said pitifully, but Trunks didn’t dare take his eyes off the giant, green, red-eyed threat in front of him.

Piccolo made for Goten and Trunks sprang toward his secret-father. Before they clashed together Vegeta went blue, wrapped around Piccolo’s waist and bit the mark on Piccolo’s ass hard enough that Trunks saw blood around Vegeta’s teeth. At the same moment, Goten hooked his arms under Trunks’s and pressed his mating mark hard. Goten whispered, “No, Daddy, I’m safe. I’m here. I’m safe.”

Vegeta hauled a raging Piccolo out of Bulma’s lab, but the struggle turned into aggressive, angry kissing before they even made it out of the room. Trunks came down off his crazies quickly once the threat was gone, no sex necessary, though he wouldn’t have complained if Goten carried him out and fucked him in the bathroom.

Bulla let Goku up and Bulma hurried over to look at his shoulder. Bulma sighed and said, “I’ve told you biting is unacceptable, blueberry! Say you’re sorry to Goku!”

“A Vegeta doesn’t apologize to third-class scum!” Bulla said and strutted proudly over to the corner of the lab where she kept some toys, her little tail lashing out the chi-burned hole in the back of her footies.

“Gods, apparently I need to be putting in a few more hours parenting that one. I can’t believe Piccolo’s arguing she shouldn’t go to preschool, fucking hell,” Bulma muttered, mostly to herself, Trunks thought. She rummaged for something and walked over to Goku.

Goku sheepishly wrapped his tail around his waist using his hands. When he caught Trunks looking he flushed and his eyes sank to the ground. Bulma said, “Goku, I am so sorry. I didn’t think she’d gotten quite so…vicious.”

“I’ll say, man, I don’t think Gohan or Goten ever _bit_ anyone,” Goku said sulkily.

Trunks and Goten started snickering. Goku snapped, “It’s not funny! It’s rude…to…oh…” Goku’s voice faded as he saw Goten’s fingertips outlining Trunks’s mating mark on his bare chest. “That isn't what I meant, you two!” Goku said, “Man, Bulma, I don’t know if I’ll survive living here with all these guys getting mate-crazy all the darned time. How do _you_ live like this?”

“They’re not normally this bad. I think Piccolo and Vegeta’s crazies are on a hair trigger due to Piccolo’s hormones, our unique situation, and… our history…The boys are probably just in the throes of early matehood with a dash of pregnancy nonsense.”

Goku looked at Goten and Trunks again and said, “What are you two going to do about school?”

“Almost everyone knows I’m gay, Dad,” Goten said testily. Trunks thought maybe Goku was right about the general level of crabbiness around the compound. Goten continued, “And Trunks said he wants to be out, so we’ll just be a couple and if anyone talks shit, I will—“

Goku cut him off and said, “Not about…that. I mean, you both have _tails_ , humans aren’t used to that. What will you tell people? And, um, I assume at some point you’ll _look_ pregnant, right?”

Goten opened his mouth, closed it again, and turned to Bulma. “What _are_ we gonna do, Bulma?”

“See, no one consults me before they do this kind of thing but then you all want me to fix your alien fuck-ups and I’m just really sick of it!” Bulma said.

“Jeez, Bulma, don’t get grumpy too, who will I hang out with?” Goku said and nudged her with his elbow as she cleaned the bite wound on his shoulder.

She laughed and said, “Yeah, it might be nice to have someone sane around, Goku.”

Trunks said, “So…circling back to the whole ‘tails’ at high school full of humans thing…”

“Trunks, you two can deal with it. You wanted them. You’re going to be fathers. You figure it out,” Bulma said, “And you can all get out of my lab, I have work to do, now that I’m supporting five Saiyans and a pissy fucking Namek, and soon two more fucking Saiyans, gods, the fucking luck of you all getting pregnant at the same time…” Bulma continued to mutter to herself as she returned to her cluttered desk.

“Um, Mom, it’s not…it’s not that I don’t want to deal with it, because I don’t really care. But…since…since you’re, you know, Bulma Briefs, the CEO of Capsule Corp, the biggest company in the country, I wasn’t sure if you, you know, wanted to strategize about the fact that it would out your husband and children as…aliens.”

Bulma sagged in her chair and said, “Just say they’re robotic and that you two are furries.”

“What?” Goten and Trunks and Goku all asked in unison.

“No one will question that you could make the tech to have a mobile tail, Trunks. Just say it’s fake, that you made it for your weird kink. It will be easier for the humans to believe than the truth. Humans don’t want the truth. No one wants the fucking truth. There, I solved your problem again. Go on, I have work to do.”

Trunks took Goten’s hand and led him out of his mother’s lab, Goku trailing behind them. Vegeta and Piccolo hadn’t made it far, they were pressed against the wall of the long corridor less than twenty feet from Bulma’s lab. Piccolo’s hand down Vegeta’s pants writhed between Vegeta’s legs. Vegeta was pinned up high enough that Trunks could tell he wasn’t getting a hand job.

“Dad! Papa! Get out of here! What if Bulla sees you?” Trunks whispered.

Goku gaped at them. Vegeta’s eyes went wide with surprise but clenched shut as he groaned, and Piccolo’s smirk widened. Trunks squeaked, “Gross!” because he realized with even greater horror that he had perhaps just witnessed his sperm-father having an orgasm. Trunks sprinted away from his ridiculously horny fathers, dragging his giggling mate along behind him. Goku stood motionless and eventually Trunks heard Vegeta shouting at him.

They stumbled into their new little apartment and Goten spun Trunks around, shoving him down on the bed as he tore down their pants. “Daddy, oh my gods, I need you—“

“Yuck! Are you turned on by my dads _again_?!” Trunks screeched.

“Daddy, come on, I love when you get all crazy for me, and then I got thinking about how you did me in the bathroom. Please, Daddy, please, I want to fuck you!”

“Dude, is this gonna be a thing when we catch my dads screwing? Do you really get off on that?” Trunks said, but Goten rolled Trunks’s hips up and licked his ass.

“Fuck, Daddy, you’re wet for me, so don’t pretend like you’re not turned on,” Goten purred.

“Wait, what? You can’t fuck me if I’m wet, baby, I don’t want to get pregnant!” Trunks cried and shoved Goten off him.

Goten rolled his eyes and flopped onto his back on the bed and spread his legs. “Then fuck me, Daddy! I don’t really care how, but you’re pissing me off making me wait!”

“Hey, son, I was wondering if you want to go train?” Goku called from outside the door.

Goten’s zeal for sex died before Trunks’s eyes upon hearing his father’s voice. Trunks wanted to slap Goku. Trunks was horny too, but it wasn’t because of his fucking fathers and their repulsive public-sex proclivities. Trunks shouted, “Go away, Goku! We’re busy!”

“Jeez, does being gay mean you have to do it every five minutes? Piccolo and Vegeta weren’t even behind a _door_. No wonder everyone catches them!” Goku griped, but Trunks felt his chi recede.

Goten looked more horrified than Trunks thought was reasonable given that they had fucked in a bathroom while their parents waited only half an hour earlier. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I feel gross that my dad caught us,” Goten whispered.

“Seriously? Yet you get mad that I don’t get turned on by my _dads_ , plural, fucking each other?”

“Yeah, but that’s sex, not them…I don’t know…hearing _us_ have sex!” Goten said and closed his legs.

Trunks’s cock throbbed. He climbed above Goten and rolled his hips against his mate’s still half-hard cock. Goten’s eyes fluttered shut and Trunks smirked. He adjusted so his head could trail up the underside of Goten’s prick, bringing it back to life. Goten was hard again in seconds.

Trunk’s sneaky tail slipped between Goten’s legs while Trunks frotted more aggressively. Trunks used his thumb to smear his own pre-cum over his head and shaft so he could slide against the skin of Goten’s dick more easily. Goten gasped as Trunks’s tail nudged at his opening.

Goten’s eyes flew open and he murmured, “Daddy! So naughty!”

“Mmm…but…okay?” Trunks purred. His tail had so many nerves, it felt amazing just touching Goten, but if Goten let Trunks’s tail inside him, he didn’t even know what would happen.

Goten’s tail coiled around Trunks’s, but the tip dove into his cleft. Trunks squeaked in surprise and then moaned with pleasure. It was fuller than a finger, if not quite the girth of Goten’s deliciously thick cock, but it had dexterity and mobility like a finger as it began playing with his pucker. Trunks’s tail mimicked Goten’s tail’s kneading movement, not plunging inside him yet. Both tails coated themselves in wetness because Goten and Trunks were both soaked they were so turned on.

It was the first time this had happened to Trunks. Trunks had gotten a little wet before, but it had been more like sweat: this was different. This was slippery and thicker and smoother and it felt amazing when Goten’s tail began probing at him more aggressively.

“Oh shit, Daddy, you are so tight, but you’re so fucking wet,” Goten gasped and lunged up to kiss Trunks.

Trunks grinned against Goten’s lips and said, “We could tail fuck each other while we frot! How hot is that, baby?”

“Daddy, it is really turning me on that you’re wet for me. We might not leave our room again today.” Goten shivered as Trunks’s tail got bolder and pushed almost inside him.

Goten’s tail seemed to view that as permission and it sank itself inside Trunks, able to go deeper than a cock but move more than a finger, since it could bend in every direction. Trunks whimpered and his whole body trembled. “Oh shit, Ten, oh, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Trunks babbled as Goten’s tail began wiggling, almost vibrating it was moving so fast. At the same time, Goten helped Trunks jerk their cocks off faster as they held them pressed together.

“Give it to me, Daddy. I want us to come together and your ass is twitching like crazy. Show me what your tail can do,” Goten commanded.

Pleasure burned through Trunks so intensely that it took him a moment to even register what Goten meant, but his tail had a mind of its own and drove into Goten hard and deep. Goten groaned, “Oh fuck yeah, Trunks,” and spread himself wider. “Oh fuck, you are so deep in me, holy shit!”

Before Goten’s words registered, he splattered them both with cum, hitting his own face, and Trunks followed, watching their slits raptly. Trunks bent and kissed Goten and moaned at the taste of his mate’s seed on his mouth. “Baby, oh fuck!” Trunks cried as Goten’s tail gave his prostate a zing of chi.

Goten giggled as Trunks coated their jawlines while they kissed, gasping and panting for breath. Trunks tucked his ass to get more friction on his cock while his climax still rolled through him. Tail-fucking also allowed deep penetration with a tightly clenched ass, which felt fucking incredible and Trunks shouted, “Ah! I—Oh! Ten! Fuck!” A secondary orgasm slammed into him as his entrance twitched and gripped Goten’s tail, still vibrating with chi against his prostate.

Goten purred, “Oh, Daddy, deeper, one more, try the chi thing, I want…I want another!” Goten bucked up into their frotting joint hand-job and made a noise that was a mix of a whine and growl as he came again.

Trunks quivered as Goten eased his tail out of Trunks at last. Trunks weakly withdrew his tail from his mate and fell back onto the bed. They were a mess and their tails were coated in each other’s lube. Trunks grinned broadly and rolled his head to look at Goten. “Whoa. We are definitely doing that again. I wonder what it’d be like to be fucking you while you tail-fuck me?”

Goten’s chest heaved for air and his smile made Trunks’s insides twist and flop around. He panted out, “I…I think…if you give me a few minutes…we can find out…”

Trunks stretched his neck and turned into his mate, kissed him savagely, and dug his fingertips into Goten’s claim. “You’re fucking _mine_ , baby. I love you so much. I’m glad baby’s okay.” Goten only nodded, kissing him more, and Trunks could feel sleep pulling his mate down. It was hard work growing a Saiyan baby and fucking a Saiyan mate. Trunks kissed Goten a final time. He hopped up and got a couple towels and cleaned Goten off with another soft kiss on his dozing mate’s brow.

Trunks wanted to start being more of adult for his mate, so he left Goten a note, showered, and went to ask his mother if she needed anything at the store. Trunks noticed that domestic drudgery and chores that used to bother him, now, when in service to his mate, seemed almost…nice. Like it was the least he could do while poor Goten did all the hard work. He reminded himself to keep his mind sensitive to his fathers’ chi, he didn’t need a third run-in with their sex-life in one day.

“Hey, Mom, you need anything at the store?” Trunks said.

Bulma spun around from her computer, clicking it to sleep a little jumpily, almost as if she didn’t want Trunks to see. Trunks made a note of that, having long ago hacked into his mother’s systems. Bulma was a genius, but so was Trunks, one with Vegeta’s ruthlessness. And maybe Piccolo’s sense of moral flexibility, Trunks thought with a smile.

“Oh, hey, sweetie. Goten…uh…doing okay after…everything?” Bulma said and Trunks thought he’d perhaps caught his mother doing something nefarious. How interesting.

“Yeah, he’s fucking great. I’m gonna go to the store to stock our kitchen though while he naps, so I thought I’d see if you need anything. You seem…on edge,” Trunks said, giving her a chance to just own up to whatever she was being weird about.

“Oh, uh, well, yeah, not a lot of sleep last night. Your fathers are…high-maintenance…right now,” she said with a deep sigh.

“Did Papa hurt you? I heard you asking him if he got things under control earlier,” Trunks said. Now that all the crazy fucking truths were out in the open and he had to see his dads pawing at each other all the time, he wanted to make sure there were no _more_ secrets.

“Oh, no, definitely not. I keep a tranq gun in the bedside table for mate-crazies that strike when…yeah. Okay. No. No, he didn’t hurt me. He just had…a bit of a tantrum. Maybe a tail-tantrum, is a better term. I’m new to his tail, and it’s going pretty well, but he, uh, even before the tail, sometimes he gets…bitter…about…about the time…you know, when…um, when Piccolo was here. Without him. Just me and Piccolo. His tail seemed to exacerbate that simmering issue.”

“Mom, it’s been like almost seventeen years,” Trunks said with a scoff.

“And he’s Vegeta,” she said with her own scoff.

“But…I thought he loves you too?” Trunks said with renewed worry. He never caught either of his fathers fucking Bulma.

“He does. They both do. They just…love each other differently. Maybe more. I don’t know. Part of our agreement is that I don’t…worry…about that,” Bulma said and looked a little sad.

“Mom…are you happy? I see them all the time now, loving each other, are you…are you actually okay with all this?” Trunks said. He wanted his mom to be happy, but now that he had both dads, he wanted them to be happy, because Vegeta sucked a lot less when he got to be open in his affections, and because Trunks thought he’d get along better with Piccolo than he ever would with Vegeta. What if it all caved in on itself because Trunks found out?

“Yeah, sweetie, I am happy. I’m just tired. They are wearing me out right now. Piccolo’s pretty…moody. He doesn’t feel well. Vegeta gets overprotective. It’s an exhausting cycle. And I’m trying to be supportive, but it’s a lot to have my son essentially get married and impregnate my other son in a couple weeks. And now Goku is here indefinitely and I think maybe realizing he’s gay. It’s just…a lot,” Bulma said. Bulma’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked quickly and plastered a smile on her face. “But I don’t need anything at the store. It was thoughtful of you to ask, sweetie.”

“Mom, you…you can always talk to me, if…if you need someone. Since your, um, husbands, or whatever you think of them as, are…kinda self-involved,” Trunks said and bent to give her a hug.

“Thanks, Trunks. But…they aren’t. They’ve had to hide for a long time. And I know it’s hard for you to understand because you’re so young, but they’ve wanted this for so long that they’re also deliriously happy to finally get pregnant, even if it also kind of shocked the shit out of them.”

“Piccolo seems pretty…hostile…to you,” Trunks ventured.

“Yeah, you could say that. He’s been losing it thinking Vegeta will leave him again, but leave him for me. Sometimes it’s hard for me to follow what the hell goes on with those two because I think it’s mostly a perpetual state of low-level mate-crazy for Piccolo. He’s been very possessive since we got home. I think being home is triggering him, reminding him of when Vegeta left, which he associates with new babies. Piccolo and I had also been having…disagreements…before the cruise about some parenting stuff. You and Goten will find that some parenting stuff never has clear answers.”

Trunks wanted to say more, but at that moment, Piccolo came strutting in looking like he meant business. Whether that business was fucking Bulma on her desk or bitching her out about Bulla going to preschool, Trunks had no idea.

Piccolo’s dark eyes found Trunks. Piccolo smirked and said, “Trunks, get out. You recover from earlier? I think Goten likes it.”

“Gah! Not you too! Stop saying shit like that!” Trunks cried and hurried for the lab door.

“Lock it, kid, and do a better job at that than fucking Vegeta,” Piccolo growled.

“You…you aren’t going to hurt her?” Trunks said.

Piccolo looked so affronted that Trunks briefly feared Piccolo was going to hurt _him._ “What the fuck? Of course not!” Piccolo spun to Bulma and said, “Did you tell our son that I beat you or some bullshit like that?” Piccolo’s face drew down in anguish.

Trunks said, “No! No, Dad, no! She didn’t say anything. You just looked…intense…and you’ve had a lot of mate-crazies—“

“I have never once hurt Bulma! Never! Not even at my craziest!” Piccolo said to Trunks and then said to Bulma, “Never mind. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Picc, honey, what—“

“Never fucking mind!” Piccolo snarled and brushed past Trunks, loping up the stairs three at a time.

Trunks turned to Bulma, but she looked relieved, not upset. Trunks decided he would be snooping around her computer that night. He’d gotten a bit of taste for the truth.


	19. Firewalls

Trunks and Goten walked hand in hand into their high school, knowing they would likely have a month, maybe two, before Goten would have to switch to homeschooling. Goku, surprising all of them with a good idea, suggested that once Goten got too obviously pregnant, he could have a “car-wreck” that left him homebound but able to complete his classwork, which Trunks would bring home. 

Trunks leaned to give Goten a peck on the cheek as they drew the first shocked looks now that people were behind them, able to see their tails. Even their closest friends were speechless. The first to speak said, “I…wow…I didn’t know you were gay, Trunks. Do…do you guys have tails?”

Goten beamed at Trunks and their tails twisted together. “Yeah, we…uh…Trunks made robotic tails. Aren’t they cool? He’s a genius,” Goten said. Trunks flushed to have Goten adore him so publicly. Trunks thought the hardest part about being out would be not fucking his mate whenever he wanted. Because Trunks wanted very much to fuck Goten right against his locker.

Trunks gave Goten a kiss as they reached his locker, which was in a different hall than Trunks, since Trunks was a senior. Trunks said, “You’ll be okay, baby? You just reach out if you need me.”

Goten kissed him more deeply and said, “I’ll miss you, but I’ll be okay, Daddy. See you at lunch, yeah?”

Trunks nodded and whispered, “I can’t kiss you anymore, I’m getting hard.”

Goten’s hand fluttered over Trunks’s crotch and he said, “Mmm…don’t tell me that, Daddy, it’ll make me want to do something about it.”

“Lunch, baby,” Trunks said and backed away from Goten.

* * *

Their high school had over two thousand kids, but Trunks had a certain notoriety both as Bulma Brief’s son, and due to some ill-thought-out pranks that had drawn attention to the fact that he and Goten weren’t normal. Everyone attributed any strange events to his mad-scientist heritage, but Trunks wished now he’d been more discreet. People stared at him all day, whispered about his tail, and he heard his and his mate’s names on everyone’s lips.

Mate-crazies were one of the biggest potential issues at school, so Piccolo and Vegeta had been working with Trunks all the past week to help him manage the craziness. Despite that, by lunch, Trunks felt like he would crawl out of his skin if he didn’t get to touch his mate soon. A few girls that Trunks had dated and slept with had been watching him like a new species they had just discovered. If Goten caught wind of that sort of thing, _Goten_ might get mate-crazy.

Trunks put his books away to go find his mate for their lunch break. Goten wrapped around him from behind, their tails twining together. Goten’s touch relieved all Trunks’s discomfort from their morning apart. Trunks turned and kissed Goten over his shoulder. Someone whispered a slur a few lockers away. 

Trunks stalked toward the bigger boy, one of the football jocks, who confused size with strength. Trunks growled, “Did you have something to say to me?”

“You fucking disgust me, you furry faggot,” the boy, easily six inches taller, said as he looked down on Trunks. He probably thought he outweighed Trunks, but the bigoted moron didn’t know about Saiyan density.

Trunks’s hand snapped out and grabbed the bigger boy’s fist, which he’d clenched threateningly at Trunks. “Say it again, you piece of human garbage,” Trunks hissed.

The boy foolishly thought he had the upper hand. He snorted and swung at Trunks with his other hand. In a blink, Trunks crushed his hand, breaking several bones, blocked the hit, and delivered a tap to the boy’s gut that doubled him over. The boy screamed, cradling his broken hand against his bruised belly. Trunks said, “Next time I hear you say _anything_ against my mate, I’ll break more than your hand. And stop being a bigot.”

Trunks walked away as other football players rushed to see what had happened to their douche friend. He slid his arm around Goten’s waist, slammed his locker closed, and led his mate out to go get some lunch. “You wanna go to Sushi Paradise?” he asked his mate.

“Trunks, you’re going to get in trouble! You can’t hurt people like that, you’ll draw too much attention to us,” Goten said, his dark brows furrowed with worry.

“Don’t worry about it, baby. If I get kicked out, at least I can be home with you—“

“You need to go to college, your mom said so. You won’t be able to go to college if you get _expelled._ No more, okay?”

Trunks saw Goten’s point. He said, “Sorry, baby, I—sorry. I just hate that these weaklings think they—“ Trunks stopped speaking. The whole team was coming for Trunks. “What do you want me to do?”

“Make it quick enough that the security cameras don’t pick up what happens,” Goten said with a smirk and they both spun.

Each human took one pitiful blow to put down, and the hall was filled with the blubbering remains of the football team. Trunks and Goten wrapped their tails together again and laced their fingers. Goten pecked Trunks’s cheek and said, “What a bunch of morons.”

Trunks loved taking care of his mate more every day. He liked providing food for him most of all. It made his chest ache with pleasure to watch Goten eat everything he wanted, because Trunks would give him anything. Trunks and his mother had come to an arrangement about how much he should earn on each unit of his various inventions that sold. She conceded that he earned that money. She gave him an official title and Trunks had already begun sketching ideas for some new inventions.

Buying Goten’s food with his own money brought him even more pleasure. Goten’s appetite had always dwarfed even Trunks’s, but now that he was pregnant, it was truly a marvel, even for a Saiyan. No wonder poor Piccolo was so sick.

“You ever find out what your mom was hiding on the computer, Daddy?” Goten asked. This happened frequently. They weren’t exactly telepathic, not like Trunks’s fathers, but whenever one of them brooded (and Trunks was more of a brooder than Goten) about something, the other often just started thinking about the same thing.

“It’s interesting, I’ve hacked almost all my mom and Capsule Corp’s stuff, but she has a whole hyper-secure section of her servers. After a pretty deep dive, I think it must be where she keeps all the research about my fathers. I’ve almost infiltrated, but she’s good. I’m not used to security systems being a challenge, but it’s actually kind of fun. I also have to make sure I don’t trigger anything. The last thing I want is for her to _know_ I’m snooping. Then she’ll lock everything up tighter.”

“Are you sure you want to know, Daddy? What if it’s…I don’t know, porno of your dads?”

“Oh gods, yuck, I hope not. Well, I guess if it’s all video files, I’ll just leave it,” Trunks said with disgust.

Goten looked thoughtful as he shoveled even more food down. The kitchen staff stared nervously at Trunks and his mate. Trunks wondered if they were almost out of food or thought he and Goten were going to dine and dash. Trunk did a quick calculation and laid a stack of cash on the table so they would relax and let his mate eat in peace.

“Oh shit, Daddy, is…is…is that—“

“Just eat, baby. I’ll take care of you,” Trunks said and his tail snuck around Goten’s under the table. Goten looked like he considered arguing, but Trunks stared into his eyes until he returned to his voracious eating.

* * *

“Come to bed, Daddy,” Goten said, leaning in the doorway of the second bedroom where they’d put a little desk for Trunks. He was so close to cracking into his mom’s files, that he didn’t want to stop. But he did want to please his mate. He turned and met Goten’s eyes. 

Goten swaggered in and straddled him in his desk chair. “You’re on a roll, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, kind of, but I want you. I always want you,” Trunks murmured and kissed Goten, sliding his hands inside the loose sweats Goten wore, gripping his mate’s steely ass.

Goten smiled into the kiss and whispered, “Have me, then. It won't mess up your infiltration to take a break, right?” Goten canted his head to the side, dragging his fingertips along Trunks’s jawline and neck.

“I would take a break from anything for you, my mate,” Trunks purred and squeezed Goten’s ass more. He slid his fingers into Goten’s cleft, all of them touching his opening, already wet and getting wetter as Trunks applied even the lightest touch. “You want your mate?”

“Yeah, I do, Daddy,” Goten whispered and kissed Trunks’s shoulder softly.

Trunks and Goten so frequently ravished each other, ripping and tearing clothes, biting and pounding, that it did something entirely different to Trunks’s insides when Goten came at him sweetly and tenderly. Trunks’s whole belly twisted into a coil of heat as Goten rocked on him gently. Goten’s fingers trailed over his bare chest, outlining all his muscles as he kissed Trunks passionately.

Trunks’s hands came up out of Goten’s pants and danced up his back. He cupped Goten’s face and let their tongues twine together as their tails did the same. His thumbs ran along Goten’s cheekbones. One of Goten’s hands dragged over Trunks’s chest to his claim and pressed it hard. “My mate,” Goten murmured, “My love. My…”

Trunks leaned back to look into Goten’s eyes. Goten looked nervous. Trunks opened his mind up to feel what was upsetting his mate. It was bright and easy to see Goten wanted it so badly. Trunks’s eyebrows lifted and he said, “Your husband, huh? You want to marry me?”

Goten’s cheeks flushed and his face scrunched up with concern. “I…do…is…”

“Of course I'll marry you, baby. But we’re too young now. Unless you want to see if we can get your parents to sign off. I’ll bind myself to you any way you want, Ten.”

Goten kissed him more and tilted his hips so their cocks rubbed together. His hands continued their tender, loving journey over Trunks’s skin until he stood and pulled Trunks’s jeans off, followed by his sweats, and then straddled Trunks again. Trunks pressed both his hands to Goten’s barely noticeable bump and said, “You look so beautiful pregnant, Ten.”

Goten only smiled and lifted himself up and lined Trunks’s cock up with his ass. Goten sank down on him slowly, his mouth open and his eyes fiery and intense. “I love you, Trunks. I’m so excited for our little family,” Goten whispered, wrapping his arms around Trunks’s neck.

Trunks rolled up into his mate as they kissed and whispered together. It filled him with fuzzy joy to see Goten so content and happy. He held Goten’s hips as Goten rose slowly up and down on him, taking Trunks deeper and deeper, but never speeding up. “Baby, you make me so happy. I love you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Trunks breathed as his climax approached.

Goten’s sunshine smile poured its light on Trunks. He held Trunks’s jaw as he kissed him and murmured, “I’m about to come, Daddy, come with me, I want you to come inside me.”

Trunks’s loins clenched and unfurled, sending a quivering wave of pleasure rippling through him. He cried out and held Goten’s hip with one hand, his face with the other, and met his mate’s mouth in a deep kiss. Goten’s tongue plunged deeper in his mouth as their tails twisted more tightly together, and Trunks gasped for breath around their kisses. Goten didn’t get off him, instead clung tighter to Trunks, smearing his cum on both their torsos as they pressed together.

Trunks didn’t know why his mate was feeling insecure or needy or affectionate, but he wanted to be whatever would make Goten feel good, so he followed wherever Goten led in their sweet making out. Trunks’s mother’s secrets would still be there later, and Trunks felt so fulfilled and content in Goten’s arms, that he was in no hurry to move.

Goten kissed him for so long after they made love that Trunks thought maybe his mate wanted another round. But Goten stood up at last with a big, happy sigh. “I’m gonna clean up and get in bed, Daddy. I’m exhausted. People were talking about me all day today. Is it always like this for you? Are people always watching you?”

Trunks thought about it and said, “Yeah, kind of, I guess so. But you know me, I have Vegeta’s ego, so it’s never…bad. I just don’t like that some people are saying nasty things about us being gay. About anyone being gay. Were people dicks about that to you before?”

“I mean, every now and then I heard people when I was out with a guy, but I…don’t tell my dad or anything…but I mostly picked up older guys. I tried to keep my private life away from school. I went out with one guy at school and it was pretty…disappointing,” Goten said with a shrug, “I mean, they were all disappointing, but older guys have better control.”

Trunks searched Goten’s eyes as he stood up to walk with him into the bathroom to clean up. “I’m sorry I was so oblivious, Ten. Sorry you had to put up with human dick,” Trunks added with a little smirk.

“At least we’re together now, right?” Goten said.

“Yeah. Now and forever, my mate,” Trunks said and kissed Goten while they washed themselves.

“Goodnight, Daddy. I love you. Don’t stay up too late, okay?” Goten said, “You have to rest up for the baby.”

Trunks felt a big, helpless smile spread on his face. “Yeah, man, I’m so excited.”

Goten hugged him and gave him a kiss. Trunks made sure he was comfortable until Goten said, “Stop fussing over me, Daddy. Either get in bed, or go. I love you,” Goten said.

Trunks said, “I love you too, baby,” and returned to his computer despite the call of his mate’s arms. Trunks didn't like that the dumb assholes at school made Goten feel like he had to date older men. Trunks started to fret about it. What if the older men had taken advantage of Goten? Trunks calmed himself the way Vegeta taught him, because he could feel the potential crazy in that line of thought. 

Trunks sat back down to the dim glow of his computer and really went to work. His fucking mother could still outsmart him, but he was persistent and creative. Which was how he eventually found a backdoor into her personal files. He never knew they existed before, so he’d never gone looking. 

There were pages and pages of test results and images from ultrasounds and MRIs and CAT scans. Microscope images, notes on sperm function for both Saiyans and Nameks, and…notes on how ovulation was triggered in both species. Nameks and Saiyans only released eggs for a fertile, male mate. And that fertility was achieved in Saiyan hybrid mates via the stimulation of two tiny glands at the base of the tail. Glands that were naturally stimulated by tail twining. But otherwise…otherwise…

Trunks couldn’t believe the date on the files. Bulma knew. Bulma had always known. Since about a year after Trunks’s birth. Since Vegeta came back. No wonder Bulma was shifty as fuck. She had kept this truth hidden from his fathers for Trunks’s entire life. Trunks held his mouth, tears filling his eyes. He thought of the anguish he’d seen in both Piccolo and Vegeta’s eyes when they spoke of their long failure. What the hell was Bulma thinking?

Trunks’s anger and hurt reached a new level when he saw the latest files though. Bulma was working on Saiyan birth control. A way to stop ovulation when tail-twining was present. Trunks’s fury rose and he glanced at the clock. He knew she might be asleep, but she might also be in her lab, so he sought her chi. He downloaded everything she had, then he exported it to two different secure clouds he’d set up. She wasn't taking this data away from him.

Trunks peeked into their bedroom to make sure that Goten was sleeping soundly. Trunks pulled on a tank top and went to speak with his mother in her lab. Piccolo was with her, but Trunks didn’t even care. It didn’t feel like they were fucking, at least. Trunks felt his anger rise with every step. That she could be there, talking to Piccolo, probably flirting with him like she hadn’t been denying Piccolo and Vegeta the truth they’d asked her to help them find.

Trunks didn’t bother knocking. Piccolo held Bulma’s face and kissed her deeply. They looked disheveled enough that Trunks wanted to scream. He wanted tell his newly discovered father what Bulma had done. Piccolo startled and pulled away from Bulma quickly, clearly expecting Trunks to be upset about them kissing.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Trunks hissed. He glared at his mother.

She narrowed her eyes and sighed. “I told you he was snooping, Piccolo. He knows.”

Trunks swung his head toward Piccolo and croaked, “Did…did…did you know? And you kept this from Papa?”

Piccolo shook his head slowly and looked livid. Piccolo said, “No. Definitely not. I would _never_ do that to my mate. But I saw her face after we told her your theory about Vegeta’s tail. She looked like I’d caught her murdering our baby.”

Trunks shook as he growled, “Does Papa know?”

“Not yet,” Bulma said and she looked more defeated than Trunks had ever seen her. She looked pale and tired. She held her face in her hands.

Trunks returned his attention to Piccolo. “How are you still…still…still kissing her? How did you not _murder_ her?”

Piccolo’s head flopped back on his neck and he groaned miserably. “Fuck, you are just like Vegeta. Trunks, for fuck’s sake, she’s the mother of my children, I’ve been with her for almost twenty years. Of course I’m mad at her, that’s why we’ve been…hostile…but I’m…I’m trying to hold shit together! Do you know what’s going to happen when we tell Vegeta?”

“Did you know she’s trying to find a way to stop it? To _prevent_ Saiyan pregnancy—“

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Trunks, that’s for you and Goten. I assume you two would like to be able to have sex without getting pregnant, right? Vegeta told me you were worried about Goten topping you because you didn’t want to get pregnant,” his mother said. 

It distressed Trunks that his parents were all discussing the details of _how_ he had sex with Goten. His whole face heated. “Okay. Well. But. Why? Why would you do this to them? Didn’t you take enough from Dad when you made him go into hiding from his own son?” Trunks said, surprised how quickly he’d come over to Piccolo’s side in all this. Being mated to Goten made him more and more sympathetic to Vegeta and Piccolo’s situation by the day. It physically hurt him sometimes to imagine choosing between Goten and their child.

“Hey, kid, I know this is…upsetting. And you have already had so much crazy shit thrown at you in the past few weeks, but I think…I think this needs to be something me and Papa and Mom figure out, okay? I know you mean well, but it’s a…complicated…situation.”

“Complicated because of her fucking treachery! Kami, Mom! Wasn’t it bad enough that you weaseled into their relationship, but then you did that too? And…and…Fuck! I just…you kept my Dad, the one who actually gave a shit about me, hidden from me for most of my fucking life! Did you just not want Piccolo to have kids?”

Piccolo’s jaw muscles flickered and he said, “Trunks. Enough.”

Trunks gaped. He just didn’t understand. He wanted to understand. “Why, Mom?”

She still held her face. “Because I didn’t want to lose them. I figured it out shortly after Vegeta came back and everything was…tenuous. Really tenuous. So I didn’t tell them then because I was afraid they’d leave, despite you. Then we finally all got into a rhythm—a really good rhythm. Telling them then seemed dangerous. I knew your life would be easier if we just…if you just…just…just had a normal—“

Piccolo startled Trunks by punching a wall, leaving a rubbly mess, and roaring. “I hate that you keep defending it! Just like you’re trying to do with Bulla! I won’t do it again, Bulma! I’m not losing her like I lost Trunks! You fucking _broke_ me! I can’t even fucking _believe_ you are asking me to do it again!”

Bulma’s eyes darted to Trunks. Trunks’s mouth fell open. “Is…are…are you actually suggesting that Dad should go into the background with Bulla? Is that how I was with you before she made you be just Piccolo? Was I like Bulla is with you? Before she hid you from me?”

Piccolo’s eyes filled and he stared at Bulma. Piccolo choked out, “How can you do this to me? Do you even love me? Or have I just been a fucking strap to keep Vegeta tethered to you?”

Trunks was curious and terrified to hear her answer as well, but before anyone said anything, an enraged, blue Vegeta was holding Trunks up by his throat. “What are you doing to upset him?!” Vegeta barked.

Piccolo touched Vegeta’s arm and said, “No, baby, let him down. Nothing. It’s not him. Just let him down.” Piccolo winced and bent double, holding his belly. He dropped into a squat and cried out. Vegeta picked him up. Trunks almost laughed because it looked so ridiculous to have his tiny Papa holding up his enormous Dad. But Trunks feared for Piccolo.

“ _Minaiya_? What’s wrong? What do you need?” Vegeta said, his voice shaking with fear.

“Set me down. Set me down. I’m fine, just cramping. Too much fucking stress. I can’t fucking do this anymore, Bulma,” Piccolo said.

“Do what?” Vegeta said, his eyes terrified.

Piccolo grumbled, “Answer my question, Bulma,” he paused and turned to Trunks, leaning heavily on Vegeta, who rubbed his belly gently, “Kid, I think you should go. This isn’t a conversation we need to have in front of our son. I’m sorry that this has all come crashing down on you.”

Trunks said, “But—“

“Please, Trunks, this is hard enough. I’m sorry you know. I’m sorry…I’m sorry that this is the truth. I wish we’d let you live the truth all along. I’m so sorry,” Piccolo said, his face collapsing into a deep frown.

Trunks risked Vegeta’s mate-crazies and threw his arms around Piccolo, hugging him tightly. Trunks said, “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad I know now. I love you.” It felt strange to say those words, but also oddly cathartic, like maybe he _had_ loved Piccolo all along, but didn’t understand it.

Piccolo hugged him back and curled down to kiss the top of Trunks’s head, smelling him, and he whispered, “I love you too, kid. So much.”

Vegeta was back in his base state as Trunks left. A few minutes later he felt both Piccolo and Vegeta’s chi go crazy. Trunks wondered if his mother would be okay. Trunks thought about Piccolo’s expression when Trunks had asked him if he was going to hurt Bulma. Trunks decided that Piccolo would keep Vegeta from murdering his mother. Trunks heard Vegeta snarling at her, but he couldn’t make out the words.

Goku sprinted down the hall, but stopped and cocked his head off to the side when he saw Trunks. “Hey, Trunks, what’s going on? Are Piccolo and Vegeta fighting? Should I go try to break it up?”

“No, they’re not fighting, not like that, anyway, Goku. Just…just go back to bed,” Trunks said.

“Oh. Um. It’s hard with all the crazy chi around here. I think I’m going to have to step up my meditation practice. At the farm I couldn’t…couldn’t feel stuff going on unless I really tried, but it’s…it’s pretty unavoidable here,” Goku said, scratching the back of his neck.

“What are you talking about? Like you’re not used to being around powerful people?”

“No, uh, it’s just…stuff…reads a certain way, you know?” Goku said. His cheeks were practically purple.

“I actually have no idea what you’re talking about,” Trunks said.

“Well…like…a bit ago, you and Goten, you know. And I could tell. It’s pretty…uncomfortable…for me,” Goku said.

Realization hit Trunks like radiation and he was certain his cheeks were that red. “Oh fuck, Goku! I’m…man…that…uh…wow. I don’t know, I don’t really feel chi at all unless I’m looking, so that’s…well…that’s probably how I didn’t know for years about my dads. Um…I…wow. Maybe my mom can make some kind of…chi blocker…for you?”

Goku nodded miserably. “Sorry. I don’t mean to. With Vegeta and Piccolo and Bulma too. It’s just a lot to take in. Especially, ChiChi is still really mad at me, so she doesn’t want me to come home. And…” Goku took a shaky breath, “I don’t really want to go home anyway. But I better figure something out.”

“Could…could you stay at Gohan’s? Would that be far enough away?” Trunks said. He felt weird being Goku’s confidante, but it seemed like the perennially jovial guy needed _someone_ to talk to about his situation.

Goku shifted on his feet. “Well…yeah. I just…I don’t want to be mean…but I find Hercule kind of…unbearable.”

Trunks’s eyebrows shot up. He didn’t think Goku had the ability to _dislike_ someone in his body. Trunks said, “Well…I…the gravity room helps me not feel chi. So I think you can go in there and you won’t really sense the, uh, details of people’s chi. There’s a little bedroom and bathroom, even, so you could kind of live in there. But beware when my dads go in because they occasionally get carried away training.”

“Oh, maybe they’d let me spar with them?” Goku said.

“Uh, no, I meant they sometimes start fucking while they’re ‘training’ in the gravity room,” Trunks said.

Goku blushed again. “Oh, jeez. Who knew that word could be so…utilitarian. Man. Is there anywhere on this compound where…where people don’t…do that?”

Trunks smiled and said, “I’m not sure there is. Maybe you should just find someone to fuck?”

Goku looked like Trunks had slapped him. “I…I mean…I’m still married!”

“Oh, yeah, right. Sorry,” Trunks said and stood awkwardly for a minute and continued, “You good if I, uh, head off to bed?” Bulma was shouting now, then Piccolo, and then Vegeta. Their chi all fluctuated pretty wildly.

Goku’s eyebrows scrunched together and said, “Are you sure I shouldn’t go…check…on things?”

“They’re not fucking, Goku,” Trunks said, raising an eyebrow at Goku.

“I know! Jeez, Trunks, I…I don’t _want_ to walk in on that! I just worry about your mom with all the crazy that feels like is happening. You sure she’s okay?”

Trunks worried for his mom too, but he trusted Piccolo, if not Vegeta, to not hurt her. “Yeah, she’s probably getting what she deserves.”

“What do you mean? They better not hurt Bulma!” Goku said and his face turned dark and hard like it did when he really decided to wreck an enemy. Trunks sometimes forgot that Goku and Bulma had been friends forever.

“Goku, dude, they’re a…a…three person couple, whatever you call that. They’re having a fight about their relationship, so it’s not really your place to be a part of it—“

“Bulma isn’t strong like them, it’s not fair!” Goku said.

“Goku, they aren’t physically fighting. They’re yelling at her about some shitty stuff she did!” Trunks huffed out.

“What? What do you mean she did shitty stuff?” Goku asked. It was clear ChiChi’s recent behavior was at the forefront of his mind.

“Goku, dude, it’s…it’s our family business, okay?”

“My _son_ is part of your family now, so it’s my darn business too!” Goku snapped, his chi soaring until he went super-Saiyan.

“Nothing like…nothing like what ChiChi did, okay? It’s between my mom and my dads.”

Goku eyed Trunks suspiciously and said, “Goten deserves the best, Trunks. He didn’t deserve not to have his father around for the first half of his life, and he didn’t deserve playing second fiddle to you—“

“What!? He _never_ played second fiddle to me!” Trunks squawked.

“Being over here all the time, I’m sure—“

“No, you don’t get to do that. Say what you want about their weird arrangement and the issues between the three of them, but my parents took good care of Goten! They always did right by him! And I did too, Goku! I know you’re sure that I was a bad friend, but I wasn’t! I’m not! I love him! I take care of him! He’s my fucking _mate_!” Trunks roared and launched into Goku. Goku wasn’t ready for the attack and Trunks got several good hits in before Goku regained himself and fought back.

Goku kept using IT to get behind Trunks, but he needed to save Goten from his father taking him away from Trunks. He needed to protect the baby. The baby. Trunks would never let Goku help ChiChi take their baby away from them. He screamed a primal scream and as Goku rematerialized behind him, grabbed Goku’s throat.

Goku was so shocked that the fight dropped out of him and Trunks hit him hard in the solar plexus and wound up to hit him again in the face. A pair of big hands wrapped gently around Trunks’s arms. “No, kid, you’re okay. Let him down. Goten’s okay. Goten’s yours. Goten’s safe. Your mate is safe. Let go, kid, you don’t want to hurt your mate’s dad, right?”

Trunks dropped Goku, tempted to kick him, but he managed to refrain. Piccolo wrapped an arm around Trunks’s shoulders and led him away. Piccolo said, “You okay?” 

Trunks spiraled down out of the craziness into the sickening feel of the hangover. Trunks nodded and said, “You…are…are you guys okay?”

“Yeah, kid, we’ll be okay,” Piccolo said avoiding Trunks’s eyes. Trunks worried that Piccolo’s face looked pained and pale. Piccolo's other hand splayed on his belly, feeling and searching, like he’d lost something.


	20. Absence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! May 2021 suck at least slightly less, but have the same amount of Saiyan dicking. Love to you all, you all kept me alive.

Piccolo’s visible absence on the compound the next two weeks worried Trunks to the point that he considered cornering Vegeta to find out what was going on with Piccolo. Trunks knew Piccolo and Vegeta’s baby was okay because he could feel its chi now, even from a distance. What he didn’t know is whether _Piccolo_ was okay. Whenever Trunks saw Bulma, she said that he should focus on Goten and school, not to worry about his fathers. He tried to turn his mind away from it, but even though the baby’s chi was okay, Piccolo kept his so low, whether on purpose or because he wasn’t well, that Trunks feared for him.

Vegeta seemed to be living in the GR, along with Goku. They trained, and that seemed to put Goku in better spirits. Goku frequently joined Trunks and Goten for dinner in their little apartment, citing the tension between Bulma and Vegeta as reason enough not to eat in the main kitchen. Trunks would have been put out about feeding Goku, but it seemed to make Goten happy to have his father involved in his life and pregnancy. Goku seemed genuinely enamored of the idea of having a new grandchild and always wanted to feel the baby’s chi.

After a month of not seeing Piccolo even once, Trunks decided he would have to do something. His fear and worry were eating him alive. Goten was almost too big to continue school and if nothing else, Trunks wanted Goten to have someone to spend time with during the day if he was going to be in _purdah_ for five or six more months. 

“Hey, Goku, does, um, does Piccolo ever come to the GR or to dinner when you do eat with my mom and Vegeta?” Trunks asked one night at dinner. 

Goku’s face twisted into an expression of concern that mirrored Trunks’s own. Goku said, “No, I haven’t seen him since that night he pulled you off me. Vegeta and Bulma won’t say a word about it. Not that they say much of anything. They talk to Bulla, but not each other. I worry about her, though, she can tell they’re…um…not doing great, and it’s not good. She’s been acting out more and more. And dang is she powerful. I worry what will happen if she keeps up with…um…with being mad.”

Trunks nodded. That settled it for him. He was going to find Piccolo that evening. His secret father had been doing something new and strange with his chi the few times Trunks had tried to track him down. He wasn’t in Vegeta’s rooms (Trunks still hadn’t been able to internalize the rooms that he thought of as Vegeta’s as the place where Piccolo and Vegeta had made their life before his mother had finagled her way into their relationship). Vegeta was close-lipped when Trunks spoke to him. “Piccolo is tired. He’s resting. Let him rest,” Vegeta always answered when Trunks inquired after him. 

Trunks finished cleaning up and Goku headed out. Goten wrapped around Trunks and kissed his neck. “Hey, Daddy, you gonna go find Piccolo? You want a hand? I can’t ever pinpoint him, like he’s using chi ventriloquism or something, right? Like sometimes it doesn’t even feel like he’s on compound.”

“Yeah, I know. Vegeta won’t say anything, and my mom is just…just being a bitch about it. She’s moping like she’s the one who got betrayed in all this.”

“Well…I don’t know…she probably feels pretty shitty about it. I don’t think she meant to hurt them, Trunks,” Goten said, perpetually seeing the best in everyone, just like Goku.

“Yeah, well, if you’d been there when Piccolo asked her if she loved him, you might have less sympathy. He loves her, I can feel it, and I can see it. And I think she cares about him, but I kinda agree that if she really loved him she wouldn’t have done a lot of the shit she did. I can’t believe she hid this shit, but then…then asking him to fade out of Bulla’s life. I mean, it’s like she didn’t learn anything from how upset it’s made me.”

“I think she sees that you turned out to be an awesome guy, and she thinks that she made the right choice, Daddy. Even though you maybe turned out _despite_ her choices, not because of them, you know?”

“I guess. Whatever. Do you care if I go try to find him, baby? I can wait until you’re asleep if you want,” Trunks said, turning in Goten’s arms and kissing him deeply.

“Of course not, Daddy. You go. You can always wake me up when you get back if you need me. I’m wiped out. I’m so ready to be done with school. I know you’re used to it, but I thought people would get tired of gawking at me after a week or two, but they haven’t. I still hear them all the time. Why do they care? Is it…is it just because they think you’re…that…you could…you know…um…that you could do better?”

Trunks’s reared back to look into Goten’s eyes and screeched, “What?! What do you mean? I couldn’t _do better_. You’re perfect, ‘Ten. Did someone fucking say that to you? Who was it? I swear, I will fuck them up!”

Goten searched his eyes and said, “You…you really mean that?”

“Mean what?”

“That you don’t feel, um, you don’t feel like you settled just because of the Saiyan stuff?” Goten’s eyebrows scrunched up and Trunks saw his eyes fill.

“Where is this coming from, baby? I love you. You are my dream come true. My ideal mate. The only thing I would change is telling you sooner. And to be better for you. To be the best for you, baby. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, the only one I ever will want. You make me so happy, ‘Ten,” Trunks kissed Goten deeply and continued, “You’re still my best friend, and you made me happy as my best friend, but you’ve made my life by choosing me as a mate. I’m serious, who’s making you feel so insecure?”

“Just…you know how our friends are. They…well…Kyle keeps suggesting that…um…that you’re just…you’re just in it for sex.”

Trunks couldn’t even control it as he erupted into super-Saiyan, ascending into the second stage without pause, battling the red haze. He growled, “I will fucking murder him. You are my _everything_.”

“It’s okay, Daddy. You don’t need to murder him, just, um, I hate to be a baby, but maybe…maybe will you say you love me in front of him sometime?” Goten asked, looking like he feared Trunks would deny him this simple thing.

“Of course, baby. I didn’t…I don’t because I was afraid it’d embarrass you if I got all sappy at school. I’d rather fawn over you, you know,” Trunks said and slid his fingers into his mate’s thick soft hair. “I’m probably going to make you blush constantly if you want me to show the world just how much I love you.”

Goten’s shy smile and pretty pink flush made Trunks smile. “Yeah, Daddy, I think…I know I shouldn’t let them get to me, but I’ve been feeling kinda gross now that I’m fat, and then I start to get a little mate-crazy because I worry if you’re just with me for sex, if I get too disgusting—“

Trunks crushed Goten’s mouth with his own. He tore Goten’s shirt off and wrapped one hand around the base of Goten’s tail, pulling their bodies tight together. Trunks splayed his other hand over Goten’s beautifully distended belly. He broke from their kiss to pant, “You look gorgeous pregnant, ‘Ten. I love it. You’re so sexy like this. I love seeing you grow our baby. But I would love you even if we were like my dads and couldn’t. I’ll always love you. Even if you just get fat because you want to eat constantly. I’ll love you no matter what, baby.”

Goten hugged him tightly, buried his face in Trunks’s neck and whispered, “I love you too, Daddy. I’m sorry I’m so…fragile. I think hormones are making me feel a little weird. I’m really tired though. Is it okay if I just go to bed?”

“Of course, baby,” Trunks said and scooped Goten up. Goten laughed hard, throwing his head back, and Trunks carried him into their bedroom. He stripped Goten down and laid him in bed with a final kiss. “I’m gonna go find Piccolo, but I’ll come to bed as soon as I talk to him, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna go actually get ready for bed, Trunks,” Goten said and got up again. He swatted Trunks’s ass and said, “But go on. Go see what’s up with him and his crazy chi.”

“I love you, baby. Don’t doubt me,” Trunks said.

Goten nodded, blushing, and ducked into their bathroom.

Trunks used his Piccolo-learned chi skills to feel out which were the fakes. Trunks wondered if Piccolo was hiding from him or from Vegeta or from Goku. Or Bulma. Trunks remembered that Bulma had a scouter that she’d built based on Vegeta’s from when he came to Earth.

It took him a surprising amount of time, but he thought he’d identified the real Piccolo. And he wasn’t on compound. Trunks flew toward the origin, far in the countryside, and as he got closer, more chi clones cropped up, one at the Lookout, one back in the GR, and others, fainter and less convincing, in the forest. Trunks landed in front of a capsule house by a waterfall that Trunks assumed was _the_ waterfall of Piccolo and Vegeta’s original mating.

He knocked and the chi inside dropped to nothing. Trunks leaned his forehead against the door and reached out mentally, _Dad, please…please let me in. I’m worried about you_.

“What are you doing here, Trunks?” Vegeta said, touching down behind Trunks. His tone wasn’t angry so much as…impressed. Maybe the chi nonsense fooled others. 

“I want to talk to Dad. I’m worried about him, but I also miss him. I haven’t seen in over a month.”

“He’s not well. Leave him alone,” Vegeta said and Trunks saw for the first time, the signs of strain on Vegeta’s face. Vegeta’s eyes had dark circles underneath them and he had a few terrible bruises, undoubtedly from a lack of concentration while training.

The door creaked open and Piccolo’s voice said from the dim interior, “It’s fine, baby. Trunks can come in, just not for long.”

Trunks stepped inside. Piccolo was curled on his side on a couch, having obviously opened the door with chi or magic. He faced the back of the couch, shirtless, and with a blanket tucked around his legs. The house was bare aside from the couch. There wasn’t any other furniture except a bed that Trunks could see the corner of through the open door of the bedroom.

Trunks walked slowly toward the couch. He dropped to his knees and wrapped an arm around Piccolo’s upper body, pressing his head to Piccolo’s shoulder. “Dad?”

“Hey, kid. Sorry I haven’t been around,” Piccolo said, not looking at Trunks. The room was dark, no lights on. 

“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about you,” Trunks said, staying in his half-hug.

“I’m fine. Sorry I worried you,” Piccolo said, his voice flat and lifeless.

“Dad…come home.”

“I don’t have a home,” Piccolo said.

“Yeah, you do. Don’t let her take it from you,” Trunks said softly. “You don’t want Papa and Mom to raise Bulla, do you?”

“Whatever. They did fine with you. I should have just gone. You would’ve been better off. I should have stayed dead.”

“Don’t say that!” Trunks snarled.

Piccolo peeked over his shoulder, one brow coming up. “What? You never would’ve known what I was. It was better that way.”

“But I’m _sad_ that I didn’t know! I’m happy I know now!” Trunks said, his heart twisting in his chest to see Piccolo so defeated. So depressed.

“You were happy before too,” Piccolo said and turned back toward the couch. “Go home, Trunks. Forget about me. Go home to your mate.” Piccolo’s voice hitched on the last word.

Trunks could feel Vegeta hovering outside. “Dad…did…did Papa hurt you? Did he betray you?”

Piccolo snorted. “No. Just go home, Trunks. I’m too tired to do this.”

“I thought…I thought I was finally going to have a dad that loved me. That…that cared I existed. Please don’t take that away from me, Dad.”

“I’m not your dad, Trunks. I don’t know why I ever thought I could be. I’m a fucking idiot,” Piccolo said and somehow shriveled farther into the couch.

“Please…would you…you don’t have to see Papa or…or her, but would you come have dinner with me and Goten tomorrow? He’s really worried about being home and he’s gonna have to drop out of school soon, and I thought…I think…I think you two would…would…”

Piccolo’s hand wrapped around Trunks’s and he said, “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. But no.”

“What did she do to you? What happened that night?”

“It’s not her fault,” Piccolo said, his voice flat again after a brief surge of emotion around Vegeta.

“Will you please tell me what happened? I hate being the last one to find out about everything in our fucking family. I hate that my toddler sister knows more than me,” Trunks said.

“Not for long. She’ll be just like you before long,” Piccolo said, and his shrinking continued. Like he wished the couch could swallow him up.

“I don’t _want_ her to be like me. She’s _happy_. She’s happy because of _you_!”

Piccolo scoffed and said nothing.

“I mean it. I think back through the past two years, and I picture all the times I’ve seen her really happy and they were all with you, and now…now that I know that Bulma and Vegeta took that from me, I just…I just want to scream! You were the one who cared for me, so why are you quitting now? I thought you said it wasn’t thankless? I thought you said that you never regretted choosing me! Then fucking choose me now!” Trunks said, shocked at the tears that welled in his eyes at the thought of losing this thing he’d just found.

“That’s enough, Trunks. Come on,” Vegeta said.

“No! I’m sick of you…you…you letting him take a back seat! He didn’t deserve what you and Mom did to him! It’s not fair. Why are you letting him mope when you could just stand up to her—“

“He’s losing the baby, Trunks. He’s upset because he’s losing the baby. Come on. Let’s go. Let him rest. Let him lick his wounds.”

“What? No. I feel the baby’s chi. The baby is fine. It’s just like Goten’s.”

“But _he’s_ not just like Goten. He’s ill,” Vegeta said and sounded so hollow that Trunks’s tears broke free.

“What? No! Is this…is this because of Mom stressing him out that night?”

“I don’t know, Trunks, but come on, let’s—“

“No! Are you just going to…to…to roll over again? Is Mom the only one fucking ‘helping?’” Trunks snarled with air-quotes.

Piccolo finally rolled enough that Trunks could see his drawn face, his eyes puffy and raw, and the glaze on his eyes. “What? What do you mean?”

“Is Bulma the only fucking one you’ve consulted on what’s happening?” Trunks bit out, “Because I’m not feeling super trusting of her advice.”

“I don’t think Bulma would actively try to make me lose the baby, Trunks,” Piccolo said, and rolled back into the couch even more, almost on his belly.

“No. I do not accept this. I have all her fucking research. Come on, we’re going back to Capsule Corp and I’m going to examine you. Let’s go. Vegeta, do I have to carry him, or are you going to help?”

“Vegeta?” Vegeta said with a raised eyebrow and a grim smirk.

“Papa. Whatever. Do you want to help your mate or not? You should have helped him a long time ago,” Trunks said, stepping into Vegeta’s space.

It clearly hit a nerve for Vegeta and he looked away. Trunks had never stared his father down. He wished Vegeta hadn’t lost now, but the fact that he looked away let Trunks know that he hadn’t fought Bulma the way he should have. Trunks whispered, “Were you backing her play with Bulla?”

Vegeta’s eyes darted up to Trunks’s and he growled, “Bulla is becoming even more feral. She needs to learn to interact with humans.”

“You piece of fucking garbage,” Trunks spit, “So let her go to preschool and let her have her _fathers_ , plural. We don’t live in the fucking Victorian era. She can have two fathers. I can’t fucking believe you! No wonder he’s so depressed! You asshole!” Trunks shouted and without thinking, he struck his father. 

Vegeta took the hit, sprawling backward as Trunks’s fist connected with his cheekbone. The fact that Piccolo did nothing told Trunks everything he needed to know. Vegeta sided with Bulma. Even after the revelation of what she’d kept from him. Trunks pounced on him, pummeling him, and he screamed, “You shit! You piece of shit! You kept him from me and now you’re taking him from Bulla?! You’re a shitty mate! How could you side with her after she hid the secret to your infertility!? How—”

Vegeta’s demeanor suddenly shifted and he fought back viciously, pinning Trunks in seconds, as he hissed, “What did you say?”

“Shut up, Trunks!” Piccolo snapped, springing up and looming over Trunks and Vegeta.

“What?! Did…did you not…did you not tell him?” Trunks said, staring up at Piccolo from where Vegeta had his forearm across Trunks’s throat. Everything fell into place for him. Piccolo was protecting Bulma. Piccolo’s misery was because he was protecting the woman who betrayed him from his volatile mate. And his mate was backing the woman who betrayed them both. Trunks held Piccolo’s eyes and saw so much sorrow and conflict and despair. The poor man had no good options. His two partners had screwed him at every turn. “Oh, fuck, Dad, you deserve better,” Trunks said and threw Vegeta aside to stand and hold Piccolo in a tight hug.

Piccolo’s belly wasn’t quite as noticeable as Goten’s, but it was still prominent and cute. Trunks said, his face smushed against Piccolo’s big, solid pecs, “Are you trying to lose it?”

Piccolo said nothing and buried his face in Trunks’s hair again. Trunks whispered, “Please don’t. You deserve your baby, even if they don’t. Please come home.”

Vegeta remained sprawled on the floor, his eye almost swollen shut from where Trunks got a few hits. He stared at Piccolo. His eyes filled with tears and he breathed, “What…what is he talking about, _minaiya_?” Vegeta stood slowly.

Piccolo burst into tears, convulsing in Trunks’s arms. “Fuck, Trunks, fuck, why did you have to open your mouth?”

Vegeta tried to pull Trunks off Piccolo, but Trunks held fast and snarled, “No. You don’t get to hug him. Fuck you. You’re an asshole.”

“What…what did he say, _minaiya_?” Vegeta wheezed.

Piccolo shook his head violently. He squeezed Trunks so tightly that he could barely breathe. “I’m going to lose everything. Everything,” Piccolo sobbed.

“ _Minaiya_ , you’ll never lose—“

“Fuck you! You don’t get to say that, Vegeta! You _did_ leave me! You can pretend it wasn’t what it was, but I can’t! I can’t! I can’t do it again!”

“My heart, you know that I…that I mean…I…please…oh fuck, what is Trunks talking about?”

“Fuck you. You’ve made your choice. Get out of my house. I can’t believe you’re backing her again.”

“What is Trunks talking about, Piccolo?” Vegeta said, his voice shaking and his chi spiraling up. “I will go ask Bulma if you don’t tell me this minute.”

“Vegeta, fucking gods, can you just simmer down,” Piccolo said and gently pushed Trunks away and looked him in the eye. “Thanks for trying to help, kid. Go on, go back to Goten.”

“No. Not until you tell him,” Trunks said, crossing his arms in a way that he realized too late was very Vegeta.

“Trunks, I think…I think Vegeta and I should probably have this conversation in private,” Piccolo said and dropped onto the couch, holding his head in his hands.

“No. Fuck that. I thought that’s what you did a fucking _month_ ago, Dad. I don’t know what he’s going to do, but I’m staying.”

Piccolo’s tired, sad eyes drifted up to Vegeta. They both sank into “resting telepathy face” and Trunks wanted to scream, but at least Piccolo seemed to be telling Vegeta the awful truth because the color drained from Vegeta’s face. His hand flew up and covered his mouth. Tears spilled out of both of them.

After only a minute or two, Vegeta collapsed in front of Piccolo, between his knees. They wrapped around each other and Vegeta shook with big, ugly sobs. Piccolo wept more quietly and held his little mate. He cradled Vegeta’s head against him. Vegeta muttered, “Is the boy right? Are you trying? Are you trying to abort?”

Piccolo turned away from Vegeta and flopped back in the couch. His eyes were flat and dead again and he said, “Yeah. I haven’t been able to do it yet.”

“Why!?” Vegeta choked out.

“Vegeta, you won’t even let me acknowledge the children I’ve already fucking raised. I can’t stand the heartbreak of another kid getting taken away from me,” Piccolo said, looking away from both Vegeta and Trunks.

“I’m sorry, my heart. I’m sorry. You know how I kowtow to the woman—“

“Gods, you’re as bad as her. Stop blaming her for you being a piece of shit. Just like her fucking defending her shitty choices. Fuck you both. I’m staying here. Get out of my fucking house, Vegeta,” Piccolo said and Trunks startled when he kicked Vegeta away from with surprising ferocity. “Get out of my fucking house!!”

Trunks winced when he saw Vegeta’s face, such an open display of hurt and horror. Piccolo sneered at him. Without turning he said, “I’m sorry, kid, I need to be alone. I love you, but I can’t be in that fucking house.”

“Okay, is…is it okay if I come visit?”

“Whatever. You don’t owe me anything. Live your life. You didn’t notice me the past sixteen years, no reason to start now. Get out,” Piccolo said. He shifted back into laying on the couch, ignoring both his Saiyan houseguests as he pulled the blanket back up over himself.

“What did she say, Dad? What did she say when you asked her about loving you?” Trunks whispered.

“Stop calling me ‘Dad’ and get the fuck out of my house,” Piccolo choked out.

“Did she say that was it?”

Vegeta growled, “What are you on about now, Trunks?”

“He asked Mom is she just used him to keep you,” Trunks said.

Piccolo winced and burrowed into the couch more, yanking the blanket over his head. Vegeta squashed behind Piccolo on the couch and Piccolo’s whole big body began to shake. Vegeta murmured, “No, my heart. That isn’t it. My love. My only. No. She loves you.”

“No she fucking doesn’t. She never has. I was always a stepping stone to you. And I let her. I let her so I could have the kids. And she took them from me anyway. All these years. All these years she kept Trunks from me, and I thought…I thought with Bulla that someone, just one fucking person, would actually love me, and now you two want to take her from me. If she loved me, she would never have done the things she’s done. Now get the fuck out of my godsdamned house!”

Trunks’s anger rose in his throat like bile. It hurt him viscerally that his mother had done so much harm to Piccolo even though he’d been the one who stayed. Trunks didn’t think a human could raise a demi-Saiyan alone, if what Trunks had seen of Bulla was any indication. Without Piccolo, Bulma might’ve been injured or even killed by an out of control toddler Trunks. It infuriated him that no one acknowledged that Piccolo had been _necessary_.

Vegeta said nothing in direct response. “I’m sorry, my heart. I’m so sorry. I love you. I’ll always love you. I can’t wait to have our baby. Just…please…please don’t make me leave.”

“What are we gonna do, baby? I’m so mad at her. And I’m not sending Bulla unless we agree that I’m still her daddy, you know? I can’t do it again. You know what it did to me with Trunks,” Piccolo said, his voice barely audible as he spoke into the couch.

Trunks knew he should leave, but he wanted to help. He wanted to make his mother see sense. He wanted to go back and make her do better when he was little. Vegeta said, “ _Minaiya_ , we…I don’t know. We can…we can always do some kind of…of…I don’t know.”

“What? Joint custody? Bulma can’t have Bulla on her own. I just need to move past this. But I can’t do it if you’re gonna side with her.”

“Piccolo, what are we going to do with Bulla?”

“Vegeta, is this like a weird race thing? Or a homophobia thing? Why can’t I just be what I am? Bulla’s fucking dad!” Piccolo said and shoved Vegeta off the couch. Vegeta thudded onto the floor with a curse. “Get out of my fucking house. I’m mad at you too. Take _your_ son and get out. Go raise _your_ daughter with Bulma. I bet Goku would be more than happy to take my place.”

“That is just…just…I…” Vegeta’s words devolved into a snarling growl and he rocketed out of the little, depressing house.

“Dad…come on, come home. I’ll fix up one of the other apartments for you. Come home.”

“Don’t make me physically kick you out, Trunks,” Piccolo said, still motionless on the couch.

Trunks squatted by the couch and kissed the back of Piccolo’s skull, and said, “I’m your son. You don’t get to take that away from me just because my biological parents suck.”

Trunks left. He didn’t want to push Piccolo too hard, but he also didn’t want Piccolo to give up. When he got home, Vegeta was ranting at Bulma. Even though he was angry at his mom too, Trunks couldn’t help but continue to admire the way she stood up to Vegeta. Her eyes darted to Trunks though and he saw that at least she had the decency to be ashamed of her behavior.

Trunks, unable to shake the look he’d seen on Piccolo’s face when he asked Bulma if she loved him, went super Saiyan and said, “Why are you doing this to Piccolo, Mom?”

Vegeta wheeled and said, “This isn’t—“

“Shut up, _Vegeta_! You should have stood up for your mate back then, and you definitely should now! You’re a fucking coward!” Trunks hissed.

Goku and Goten both arrived as Vegeta and Trunks squared off against each other. Vegeta’s voice shook as he said, “You…I…don’t…don’t say that!”

“What should I say? Huh? I would never do that to Goten! Never! How? How could you?” Trunks snarled.

“He chose Bulma! He chose you!” Vegeta bit out.

“You selfish piece of shit! How could you ask him to choose?! How? You’re a fucking _monster_ on top of being a coward!” Trunks said and he bent his knees to launch into Vegeta.

Goten’s arms were around him and Goku restrained Vegeta. Vegeta roared, flaring up to blue. Goten whispered, “Daddy, what the actual fuck are you doing inciting Vegeta? You trying to get me killed when I get mate-crazies?”

Piccolo appeared in the living room, his chi causing the furniture to shift. He roared, “Get off my mate, Goku!”

“Oh jeez, I don’t know why I ever try to help,” Goku said miserably and shoved Vegeta toward Piccolo. “What is going on with you all? Isn’t it enough that you all love each other? You’re all…you’re all…just…just greedy!”

Goku’s complaint caused everyone to pause. Bulma said, “What?”

“You each have kids you love, you each have partners you love, two of ‘em for you three! So why can’t you just…just be happy! It makes me so mad that you all keep making your own darn problems! You shouldn’t have any problems!”

“Says the man whose wife slapped him in public,” Vegeta said with a sneer.

“Yeah, that’s kinda my point, Vegeta. I know Bulma messed up somehow, but…but don’t you love her still?”

Vegeta nodded, even though his face was grim. “Yes. Somehow.”

Piccolo’s eyes drifted Bulma and darted away, filling. “Yeah. That’s why it sucks.”

Trunks glared at his mother, waiting to see what she said. She sighed and said, “Goku, I just…I don’t think this is really your place—“

“You’re my best friend, B, and when you make two people who can easily murder you mad, it becomes my place—“

“Fuck you, Kakarot, I’m not going to hurt my wife—“

“Well, with all your mate-crazy weird stuff, how the heck should I know? Huh? You are all just…just…just makin’ me really mad!” Goku said, “I think you should all just…just settle down. Talk like adults. I don’t think we need any more slapping or anything like that.”

Vegeta said, “No one in our family hits—“

“Just strangles and kicks?” Trunks said, raising an eyebrow at Vegeta.

“And bites! Jeez, Bulla’s savage,” Goku added.

Vegeta took a deep breath and said, “If either of you let me finish, I was going to say we would never hit…or bite…anyone weaker than ourselves. Bulma can’t…fight…the way we fight. Just as we can’t fight the way _she_ fights. So get the fuck out of our business, Kakarot.”

Piccolo said, “I’m going home, if you’re safe, Vegeta?”

Vegeta looked like he was going to lose his shit as he said, “Your home is _here_.”

Piccolo laughed, but it was a joyless sound. He said, “I don’t _have_ that kind of home, Vegeta. I’m gonna stop and say goodnight to Bulla.”

“ _Minaiya_ —“

“Fuck off, Vegeta,” Piccolo said and strode toward Bulla’s room.

Goku deflated and said, “You’re good, B? Don’t fight with Vegeta anymore.”

“I didn’t—“ Bulma started to say, but stopped when Trunks’s dark glare found her. She nodded and Goku trudged out of the room.

Goten kissed Trunks’s cheek and whispered, “Don’t get into it again, Daddy.”

“I won’t,” Trunks said and kissed Goten as he left too. 

Trunks had never seen Vegeta so shell-shocked. Vegeta stared after where Piccolo had walked out of the room. Vegeta turned back to Bulma and said, “You…you really knew? All along?”

“Not…not until after Trunks. I didn’t want you guys to leave me.”

“Why would we leave?” Vegeta said, his eyes so sad and searching as he looked at Bulma that Trunks almost wanted to hug him.

“I…I thought if you had your own, you’d just…go.”

“He already chose you. He already chose Trunks. He stayed…He stayed even after what you did with Trunks. How…how…how could you look us in the eyes and say you loved us when you did this to us?”

“I…Vegeta…I just…We were happy, right?”

“Fuck you! You were. But what about us? You stole the only child he had and then you…you…you kept me from having what my blood _requires_. I’ve had a physical _ache_ for a child with my mate for twenty fucking years, Bulma. I love you, I do. Just as I love Trunks and Bulla, but you…you…you don’t understand a thing about…about…about being Saiyan! And now…now you’ve made him hate me.”

“He doesn’t—“

“Don’t. You don’t know him the way I do. And to be honest, Bulma, I can’t…I can’t believe he was going to bury this for you.He chose you again. I still ache that he chose you back then—“

“He chose Trunks, not me,” Bulma said with a dry little laugh.

“A choice that amounted to staying with you. You _stole_ him, you _stole_ Trunks, and I went…I went along with your idea to steal Bulla, because I…I don’t know how to win with you. I can never fucking win with you, Bulma. I never have. I’ve always given in to every single fucking thing you have ever asked for in the entirety of our relationship…A relationship that began with one simple wish. One simple plea for fucking help. And you stole that too. I don’t even know how…how to move past this,” Vegeta said. Vegeta’s tail hung limp behind him. He shook his head as he walked toward his room, not the big master suite that Trunks now knew all three of them had shared for years.

“Vegeta! He just…he just knew it would make you unhappy and he didn’t want to make you unhappy. He didn’t want to bury it for me. He wanted to bury it for you. He knew you…you would never be able to move past it. He just wanted you to be happy,” Bulma said and Trunks waited to see if she would say the words that he noticed were conspicuously missing.

Vegeta turned, completely defeated, to Trunks and said, “Can you help your mother with Bulla if I go stay at Piccolo’s? He’s pissed, but he needs me.”

“Are you gonna be good to him?” Trunks asked.

“Yes. Yes. And, woman,” Vegeta said, turning back to Bulma, “Figure out your press-release, because we’re not doing it with Bulla. She can go to preschool, but not at the cost of her Piccy. Do you understand me? I will abscond with her, and with Trunks, if you test me on this. You’ll never know peace. I should have stood up to you a long time ago. Trunks is right. I’ve been a coward. I was so scared you’d take him from me again. But now it’s your turn to kowtow.” 

Before Bulma could say more, Vegeta disappeared. Bulma met Trunks’s eyes and he said, “You should at least apologize. For all the good that will do.”

“Trunks…Please don’t. You don’t know what it’s like.”

“Nope, I don’t. Because _you_ kept it a secret.”

She nodded and tears filled her eyes. She croaked, “Goodnight, Trunks.”


	21. A Moodle

Piccolo didn’t come home in the days that followed. Trunks helped Bulma with Bulla, but after the first few days, he started taking Bulla to see Piccolo. Goten came too and they used chi to heat the oxbow that bent off the turbulent pool at the base of the waterfall so they could swim. The first day they swam, Piccolo hid in the house, refusing to come out, even when Vegeta joined Trunks, Goten, and Bulla in the river.

Late in the afternoon on the second day, Piccolo stood in the shadow of the house watching in silence until Bulla spotted him. She screamed and launched into him so hard she knocked him down. Vegeta moved to chastise her, but Trunks smacked him and pointed to the first real smile Trunks had seen on Piccolo’s face in a long time. His fangs showed and he even laughed.

“Piccy! Piccy! Piccy! Where have you been!? I’ve been so sad without you, Piccy! When are you coming home, Piccy? Are you meditating for the baby? Don’t you miss me?” Bulla said and gave him kisses all over his face.

“Of course I miss you, blueberry. Give me those kisses,” Piccolo said and squeezed Bulla in his giant arms as she nestled on his chest, clearly delighted to be reunited with her Piccy.

“You’ll come home, right, Piccy? Trunksy isn’t the same as you when he reads stories. And he’s no good at the tossing game. He’s not tall enough. And Daddy’s too grumpy without you. And Mommy is sad. Please come home, Piccy. Please come home or let me live here,” Bulla said and slithered her little arms around his neck where he laid on his back in the grass. “I’ll take good care of you and the baby, Piccy,” she whispered.

Piccolo’s brows crashed together and Trunks held his breath, hoping Piccolo would give in to Bulla’s love. Piccolo squeezed her again and said, “Yeah, okay, blueberry. I’ll come home for you.”

“You and me and Goten can make stuff for the babies! I made a painting for baby’s room! And Daddy even painted baby’s room! Daddy’s terrible at painting, Piccy! But he said he didn’t want you to have to do it,” Bulla said, pointing at Vegeta. Vegeta crept close to Piccolo and sat next to him.

Piccolo gave Vegeta a half-smile. “Why did you paint the baby’s room, baby?”

“To avoid talking to the woman,” Vegeta said and bent to give Piccolo a kiss.

Bulla bounced up and down on Piccolo’s broad chest and said, “But I think we should hire someone with _talent_ , Piccy, to paint a moodle on the wall.”

Piccolo furrowed his brow. “What’s a moodle, blueberry?”

“I think we should do a moodle with all different animals. Like a jungle moodle,” Bulla said with authority.

Piccolo, Vegeta, and Goten all looked at her in confusion. Trunks said, “Do…do you mean a mural, Bulla? Like a big painting on the wall?”

“Yeah. A moodle,” she said with exasperation.

Piccolo tickled her tummy and said, “It’s called a _mural_ , silly girl. Yeah, we should definitely hire someone if we want a mural. Because all Daddy would paint would be a moodle.” Piccolo turned to Vegeta and belly laughed at Vegeta’s expression. After a moment scowling dramatically, Vegeta chuckled and kissed Piccolo more, his hand spreading wide on Piccolo’s baby bump.

“I’ll paint whatever you want, _minaiya_ , as long as you’ll come home.”

“Fuck it, why not. At least I’ll have Bulla when I come home,” Piccolo said with another kiss. His eyes softened as he looked at Vegeta.

“Hey, what about me, Piccolo!?” Goten said with mock hurt.

Piccolo laughed more and said, “Take your shirt off, ‘Ten, I want to see if you’re as fat as I am so I don’t have to feel bad.”

Goten didn’t even hesitate to whip off his loose button-down. Goten’s belly was roughly the same size as Piccolo’s. Piccolo said, “Alright, I guess I can come home if I won’t be the only fat one.”

“You’re not fat, Piccy. You have a nice tummy. A nice baby-tummy,” Bulla said and turned to kiss Piccolo’s belly before running and jumping in the water.

Trunks saw the fragile truce between his fathers solidify as Vegeta scooted until he could hold Piccolo’s head in his lap. Vegeta curled over Piccolo and kissed him, both of them smiling like Trunks hadn’t seen since they realized they were actually going to get their baby. Both Vegeta’s hands held Piccolo’s belly.

Trunks nudged Goten and whispered, “Let’s take Bulla and give them a bit or we’ll have to see what kind of foreplay they favor.”

Goten nibbled his ear and said, “Will you show me what kind of foreplay you favor when we get home?”

“I’d love to show you all kinds of things I favor with your body, baby. Let’s go make Bulma pull her weight,” Trunks murmured against Goten’s lips.

They convinced Bulla to go home with them by saying that Daddy wanted to make Piccy feel better. She supported that and flew home with them. Trunks couldn’t believe the way her power grew daily as she rocketed ahead of him and Goten. It made him glad that Vegeta’s animosity toward Goku put him off making a pure-blooded Saiyan baby with their combined, terrifying gene-pools.

* * *

“Goten, there’s no way your baby is going to be bigger than mine. You see me, right?” Piccolo said, lounging next to Goten by the pool as Trunks quietly approached after school. He stopped, trying to understand what he was seeing.

“I’m just saying, you’re averaging with Vegeta. I’m taller than my dad, and Trunks is taller than his dad, so I think our baby is going to be taller and you’re gonna have a little, wiry, Vegeta baby.”

“I’m seven and half feet tall! Even if my baby is as tall as me averaged with my adorable little mate, he’ll be taller than your baby.”

“I just think you should make it smaller, Piccolo. You’re wasting your time knitting it that big,” Goten said and pointed his knitting needle at the thing in Piccolo’s lap.

“He’ll grow into it at some point!” Piccolo snapped.

“Yeah, when he’s five! There is no way a baby is coming out of you that size, Piccolo! It’s too big for Bulla!”

Piccolo held up the sweater he was knitting and looked at Goten’s. Then he started to laugh. “Yeah, you’re right. Fuck it. I’ll knit a smaller one after this.”

“Told you. I’m gonna knit a blanket after this. I thought it would be hard to knit a sweater. My mom always acted like knitting was this grand mystery.”

Piccolo snorted and said, “To be fair, you’re knitting a pretty simple sweater, ‘Ten.”

“Like you’re not!” Goten snapped.

“It’s my first one!”

“Mine too!”

“You’re such a liar! I know you knew how to do this before we watched on YouTube!” Piccolo said.

“Don’t call me a liar!” Goten said, but he chuckled.

“Fine, you’re a not-telling-the-truther, you little shit,” Piccolo said, his own laughter rumbling out of him.

“No wonder Bulma’s always after you about your language. Your baby’s first word is going to be some combination of shit and fuck,” Goten said, and reached out to shove Piccolo’s massive shoulder.

“Yeah, well, yours is gonna be ‘Daddy’ and not for the right reason, you fucking deviant,” Piccolo said, and dodged when Goten tried to hit him again.

It warmed Trunks to see Piccolo doing okay again. It had been over a month since he’d moved home, and Trunks knew all was not well. Bulma and Piccolo were barely speaking, but they _were_ speaking, and Trunks saw that as progress. Trunks had told her again that she needed to apologize, but she just told Trunks to mind his own business, as if his trifecta of parents wasn’t his damn business.

If nothing else though, Piccolo and Vegeta seemed okay, and that was something. Vegeta and Bulma were tense, but Trunks, to his deep disappointment since talking to Goku about the chi nonsense around the Capsule Corp compound, was much more aware of chi. It seemed Vegeta and Bulma seemed to have reconciled on at least one front. It surprised Trunks that Vegeta would go back to Bulma’s bed without Piccolo.

Trunks spoke to Piccolo a lot and Bulma’s attempts to push him into the background of Bulla’s life cut him deeper than her hiding the truth of their infertility. Trunks wanted to slap his mother, but he tried to be happy that his fathers seemed more forgiving than Trunks himself. He hoped that they could piece their relationship back together because Trunks _liked_ the new normal, for the brief period it existed before Bulma blew it up with her deception. He wanted his three parents to love each other even if that did seem to involve more public sex than Trunks thought any child should have to see from their parents.

Trunks didn’t spend that much time worrying about it, though, because he used the vast majority of his worry on his mate. Goten’s pregnancy was sailing along, but Trunks’s anxiety at being away from him for hours every day was problematic. Goten, despite his happy demeanor, was also experiencing a fair amount of discomfort. Goten never said a word, but their new connection meant it buzzed in Trunks’s brain like tinnitus. 

Piccolo and Goten continued to bicker about knitting. Trunks didn’t know his mate knitted, and a brief insane flare of jealousy consumed him at the fun Piccolo and Goten were having together. Trunks sat on the end of the chaise that Goten was stretched out on. “Hey, baby,” Trunks said and ran his hand up Goten’s leg.

“Hey, Daddy, I’m glad you’re here to protect me from your brute of a father. He’s trying to assault me,” Goten said, giggling as he tried to punch Piccolo again, his knitting resting on his beautiful, ripe belly.

“Do I need to kick your ass, Dad?” Trunks said.

Piccolo smirked and said, “You go ahead and try, kid. You might be a Saiyan, but I’ll wreck you before Vegeta even gets here with his fucking crazies.”

“What’s that, _minaiya_?” Vegeta said and straddled Piccolo’s chaise.

Goten laughed more and said, “Seriously, Piccolo, look at those legs, you’re never gonna need that sweater. It’s probably already too big for Vegeta.”

Piccolo grabbed the edge of Goten’s chaise and lifted it easily, pretending to dump him out of it. “You little punk. Vegeta, beat your sons up. They’re being dicks.”

“With pleasure, my heart. The only reason I don’t regularly beat both of them is because _you_ don’t let me,” Vegeta said with a dark little grin.

Trunks thought that was probably a true statement. Trunks said, “When did you two learn to knit? _Why_ did you learn to knit?”

Piccolo snorted. “Easy for the guy who can live his life normally to fucking say. We’re bored. And besides, Goten already knew how to knit from ChiChi. He just pretended not to know so he could feel superior to me.”

Vegeta moved Piccolo’s oversized baby sweater off Piccolo’s belly and groped it. “Gods, _minaiya_ , I love you like this.”

“Knock it off, baby, they’ve both already seen us fuck too many times,” Piccolo said, but he didn’t remove Vegeta’s very friendly hands.

“Yuck! You guys are gross!” Trunks yelped.

“I think you guys are romantic,” Goten said with the same sparkly look he got whenever Trunks’s porno-horny fathers started feeling each other up.

“Yeah, is that why you like calling Trunks ‘Daddy’ while you fuck? Huh? We inspire you, ‘Ten?” Piccolo said with a big shit-eating grin.

Goten turned purple and spluttered, “I call him Daddy all the time, not just while we fuck!” Trunks facepalmed that Goten thought this was a good defense against Piccolo’s insinuation. Trunks and Goten’s daddy kink was a common topic of mockery with everyone now, even fucking _Goku_ , so Trunks hoped his mate’s deep blush was not because Piccolo was on the mark. 

“Fuck, ‘Ten, please tell me that’s not true. Don’t ruin our kink!” Trunks pleaded, and turned to Piccolo, “Stop trying to ruin our kink!”

Goten said, “That _isn’t_ why! I just…I just like it. Leave me alone. You two shouldn’t even talk about me being _deviant_ with your exhibitionism. I check everywhere I sit thanks to you two fucking any place you can bend that big fucker over, Vegeta,” Goten straightened up like he was especially proud of this dig.

Vegeta and Piccolo eye-fucked each other with matching smirks and Piccolo said, “Nah, other places too. He’s so little, we can do it almost anywhere.”

“Gross! I hate you two!” Trunks squeaked and stood. “You coming, baby?”

Goten laughed and swatted Piccolo’s arm again and said, “Isn’t it funny how squeamish he is? Do you do it on purpose now? Like how you swear more in front of Bulma?”

“I don’t fucking swear more in front of fucking Bulma, fucking ‘Ten. I don’t fucking know what you’re fucking talking about,” Piccolo said with another big, fanged grin. He was clearly very amused. Trunks was fine with that. Piccolo had to get his jabs where he could with Bulma. Swearing in front of her was such a minor offense in the grand scheme of things.

The four of them sat around the pool for a bit before Goten launched Trunks into the water. Goten followed and as they surfaced, Goten took Trunks on his hips as he back-floated. He grinned and whispered, “I can’t wait to fuck you, Daddy.”

“You don’t have to wait, baby,” Trunks said and used the cover of Goten’s big belly to reach into Goten’s swimsuit and palm his cock.

“Daddy, so naughty. You trying to outdo your dads?”

Trunks scowled and said, “Gross! No!”

Goten laughed and kissed Trunks. “Don’t be such a baby, Daddy. Isn’t it nice to see them happy again?” He turned Trunks’s face to look at his fathers. They weren’t fucking, thankfully, but they were obviously flirting. Piccolo looked happy. Vegeta looked happy.

Bulma strolled out and Trunks held his breath. Bulla held her hand and they were both in swimsuits, so it wasn’t a short mission to transfer Bulla’s care to someone else. Piccolo’s smile dimmed a little, but when she approached him and murmured something, he slapped her ass playfully. She bent and he tilted his head back to kiss her. She kissed him for a long time, long enough that Trunks wondered if he was going to be on Bulla duty momentarily.

“That’s enough, get off my mate, woman!” Vegeta snarled, but he was smirking.

She patted his cheek and gave Vegeta a quick kiss. Trunks barely heard her as she said, “Your tummy is so cute, honey.”

Piccolo snorted and said drily, “I thought we agreed you were gonna stop lying.”

She glowered at him, but they both subdued smiles. She bent lower still and kissed his distended belly. Trunks tried to be happy instead of grossed out when she said, “When are you going to let us take care of you, honey? Huh? It’s been a month. Come back to the big room.”

“Fuck off, Bulma, I told you I’ll come back when I’m ready. Stop bringing it up, especially in front of Vegeta. If I want you two to fucking tag-team me, I’ll come to your bed,” Piccolo said, but he grinned.

Bulla whined, “Piccy, stop talking to Daddy and Mommy and play the tossing game, you can play tag with them later!”

Piccolo chuckled, shoving Vegeta out of his way, and said, “I don’t think I will play tag with them, blueberry. They piss me off. They’re being shitty.”

Trunks stifled his laughter at Bulma’s face. It was clear her not criticizing his swearing was part of their detente. Bulla’s tail poofed up and she hissed, “Bad Mommy! Bad Daddy! Don’t be shitty to Piccy!”

Piccolo covered his mouth with his hand as he met Bulma's grim gaze. Hope sparked to life in Trunks’s chest as Bulma lost her battle with her smile and mouthed, “Fuck me!” at Piccolo.

Piccolo gave her a little shrug and whipped Bulla into the air so high that Trunks could barely see her. 

Bulma squawked, “Oh gods, I hate this game!”

“Have I ever dropped her?” Piccolo said. 

“No, but…still,” Bulma said, watching as Bulla landed in Piccolo’s arms. He faked a drop and Bulma shrieked.

Piccolo chuckled harder, and said to Bulla, “Was that high enough?”

“No! Higher! Faster!” Bulla squealed happily.

“I dunno, I think Daddy might have to do it if you want to go higher and faster. Baby’s in the way so I can’t really wind up,” Piccolo said, glancing at Vegeta.

“Make Trunksy do it! He needs to practice for his baby!”

Trunks sighed with resignation. Even though it grossed Trunks out, he was also glad that Piccolo’s eyes crawled over both Vegeta and Bulma. Trunks hopped out of the pool, leaving Goten to float so he might have some respite from his aching back and hips. “Come on, Bulla! I bet I can throw you higher than Piccy ever could,” Trunks said.

Piccolo glared at him over his shoulder, but there was a ghost of a smile in it. Trunks rolled his eyes and said, “Go on. Go play _tag_.”

Piccolo swaggered back over to the chaise were Bulma and Vegeta were sitting, watching him, and said, “Come on, you two assholes. Let’s go.”


	22. Movie Night

The atmosphere around the compound improved markedly after that afternoon by the pool, but Trunks still felt the rancor between Piccolo and Bulma like he never had before. Not that he’d known there was _anything_ between them for most of his life to look for it. But in the short duration of his knowledge, Piccolo and Bulma generally seemed more even-tempered with each other than either was with Vegeta, so it unsettled him to feel Piccolo’s simmering anger. Vegeta seemed to be continuing his trend of kowtowing to Bulma, as they were back to the way Trunks always remembered them being.

Since the tension had eased, they all often ate together in the main kitchen, and Goku melded into their strange family as if he’d always been there. That night, the conversation revolved around due dates and how far along Goten and Piccolo were.

“I put it in my phone, Piccolo, and I’m exactly three months tomorrow, so we’re halfway,” Goten said shoveling a dizzying amount of food into himself. Trunks still lived in awe of the caloric intake of a pregnant, teenage Saiyan. Trunks wondered if this was how Bulma felt all the time, watching them eat like incinerators.

“And we’ve been over this, I’m a week ahead of you, because I was pregnant before you and Trunks even fucked,” Piccolo said, trying to eat, but looking greener every bite.

“Fucked is made a baby, right, Piccy? But not a Bulla word for making a baby?” Bulla said and Bulma turned red and grimaced.

“Right, blueberry,” Piccolo answered placidly.

Goten said, “I still think we’ll go into labor the same day. I can just feel it,” and shrugged. He ran a hand over his belly, his t-shirt taut against it.

“Why? Why would you think that we would go into labor on the same day?” Piccolo said, rubbing his temples.

Trunks cut in, “Do you guys just bicker like an old married couple all day?”

Both pregnant men turned baleful looks on Trunks. Piccolo grumbled, “No, we don’t. If your mate wasn’t so obsessed with us going into labor on the same damn day, we wouldn’t bicker at all! We have a great time. We’re going out furniture shopping tomorrow before we get any fatter.”

Trunks and Vegeta both dropped their forks. “No you’re not!” they snarled in unison.

Goten and Piccolo crossed their arms in sync. This was getting weird. Trunks wanted it to stop being weird. Goten and Piccolo said, “Yes, we are.”

“No!” Trunks and Vegeta shouted together again. 

Vegeta turned to Trunks and snapped, “Stop that, boy! No, _minaiya,_ you are not going out to-to-to buy furniture, of all blasted things! Send the woman! She’ll get furniture for both infants! Why do infants even need furniture? Don’t we have Bulla’s old infant furniture? This is unacceptable.”

Piccolo looked at Goten and back to Vegeta. He said, “We’re bored, Vegeta. We’re stuck here all the time. We’ve got big baggy sweatshirts and—“

Bulma said, with a heavy sigh, “Look, honey, I don’t want to…upset…you, but I agree with Vegeta on this. You’re both so conspicuously pregnant that if you’re buying _baby_ furniture, someone is bound to put it together. We’ll do it online, okay?”

Goten whined, “Bulma, come on, please? We’re so bored! We’ve each knit a ton of stuff, and we swim, and we do the Vegeta and Trunks approved exercises, but…Come on!”

“No!” Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks all said.

Piccolo and Goten pouted, saying nothing. Goku hesitantly said, “Hey, B, you’re, um, you’re super rich, right?”

“Yes, Goku, it’s the only way I can feed my burgeoning hoard of Saiyans,” Bulma said, her eyes roaming over the inhuman amounts of food disappearing off the table.

“Well…what if…what if you like, I dunno, rented out a baby furniture store for a couple hours. Me ’n Trunks ’n Vegeta could all guard it while they go inside and shop or whatever, and then you buy what they choose, and then no one will even really see ‘em, right? Or you could pay a store to stay open late so they’re the only customers?”

Piccolo and Goten perked up, their eyes swinging to Bulma, and she said, “I…yeah…um…that’s not a bad idea, Goku.” She turned to the pregnant duo and said, “Can you guys at least decide on the same store?”

They nodded enthusiastically. The rest of dinner was surprisingly pleasant. Trunks thought Goku still seemed a little down, but he supposed ChiChi not asking him home was hard. Or maybe Vegeta’s unwillingness to inseminate Goku was hard. Trunks couldn’t pin down what exactly would cheer Goku up. He wasn’t sure Goku even knew.

It was Friday, which somehow in their new, truth-filled life had become family movie night. They rotated who got to choose, sometimes watching more than one a night. Vegeta reliably chose war movies. Piccolo chose alien movies. Goku always chose martial arts stuff. Bulma chose scientist-hero thrillers. Goten chose rom-coms. Bulla chose animal movies and wept every time that she didn’t have a pet, to which Bulma reliably reiterated that she had two pets, Daddy and Piccy. Trunks always chose horror.

It wasn’t that Trunks particularly liked horror movies, but he did like the way Goten clung to him. The way his mate gradually oozed into his lap in their big home theater with comfy couches. By the end, Trunks was always ready to ravish his mate and Goten was always receptive, eager to be distracted from whatever they watched.

Piccolo complained about horror movies, saying they were biased against anything non-humanoid, but Vegeta seemed to quietly enjoy Piccolo’s closeness for the scarier ones. Bulla always clambered all over Bulma, Goku, either of her fathers, even Trunks and Goten sometimes, citing the fact that she didn’t want anyone to feel left out.

It was Trunks’s night tonight and he had what he hoped was a good, terrifying flick picked out so he would have Goten all over him from the get-go. Trunks helped Goku get snacks, because Goku’s favorite part about movie night was snacks, regardless of how recently he’d eaten. While they waited for popcorn to finish, Goku said, “So Goten’s right, you think they’re about halfway now, huh?”

“Uh, yeah, my dad thinks so. How long did ChiChi go?”

“Well, that might be bad news, she went almost ten months with both of them.”

Trunks felt the color drain from his face. Goten’s discomfort was driving him crazy. And making Goten cranky. And occasionally even angry at Trunks for knocking him up. Goku patted Trunks’s back and said, “But, uh, Chi’s a woman, and a human! I bet…I bet Goten’s only gonna go, what’d Vegeta say, eight months?”

“No! Six! Oh crap, six to ten! Was ChiChi stressed?”

“Well…I mean…gosh…now that I really look at my marriage, yeah, I think maybe Chi was always stressed,” Goku said and slumped against the fridge.

“Hey, Goku, I’m, uh, I’m really sorry this all went so badly for you. Have…have you talked to her?”

Goku’s tail looked droopy even around his waist. “Oh, well, no. I don’t know what to say. I…I guess I'm still mad.”

“Yeah,” Trunks said. Trunks was a little surprised at how easily things had returned mostly to normal in his own family. Even though Piccolo and Vegeta were clearly still upset at Bulma, they’d both been remarkably…kind…given what she had done to them. Trunks thought he wouldn’t have been so forgiving, and it shook him a little to realize maybe he didn’t know either of his fathers as well as he thought. Or maybe he just didn’t understand what it was like after being together so long. Maybe love that entrenched was inescapable.

They started the movie, _The Babadook._ Goten and Goku scarfed down all the snacks at such speed that Trunks didn’t dare grab anything for fear they eat his hand. Piccolo looked physically uncomfortable from the outset, but as the movie went on, Trunks thought maybe it was an unfortunate choice, given that the focus of the horror seemed to be…parenting. Piccolo’s face morphed into something very close to despair until he curled into Vegeta’s lap completely, covering his ears. If it wasn’t so sad, Trunks might have laughed at the absurdity of gigantic Piccolo in tiny Vegeta’s lap. 

Goten had long since straddled Trunks, hiding his face in Trunks’s shoulder, and Trunks realized, as they neared the end of the movie, that Goten was asleep. Trunks smiled and kissed his cheek. Goten was so tired all the time that Trunks was glad he was resting.

Piccolo yelped suddenly, and loud enough that everyone jumped. Every Saiyan tail puffed up at the same time, and Bulla giggled at her own fluffy tail. “Piccy! You scared me more than the movie! You gave me a poof!”

“Don’t do that, I’m pausing it!” Bulma snapped at Vegeta as he raised his hand to blast the screen, his other arm wrapped tightly around Piccolo.

Vegeta said, “ _Minaiya_? Let’s go to bed, we don’t have to—“

Piccolo cut Vegeta off and flopped back onto the couch, his head in Bulma’s lap. He snatched one of Vegeta’s hands and one of Bulma’s hands and smashed them against his belly. Trunks _saw_ the baby move. Piccolo’s belly shifted and Vegeta’s face split open in the widest smile Trunks had ever seen on his dour father’s face.

Piccolo’s eyes were huge. He looked gobsmacked. He turned to Vegeta and said, “Baby, he’s…he’s real!”

Vegeta laughed and moved his hand a little, feeling for more movement. He bent to kiss Piccolo and murmured, “Yes, my heart, did you think we were having an imaginary baby?”

“Don’t be a dick! This is exciting!” Piccolo said, still smiling. Bulma looked stunned, but her hand moved too. 

Bulla leapt up on the couch and cuffed Vegeta. She said, “Don’t be a dick to Piccy!”

Vegeta slowly turned to look at her and growled. Bulla withered and said, “Sorry, Daddy. I was protecting Piccy!”

“Next time, there will be consequences, princess. No one protects Piccy better than me,” Vegeta said in a menacing tone. 

Bulma still hadn’t said anything and Trunks willed her to say something, anything, to try to undo the hurt of all the years she hid this from her partners. Trunks scrutinized her and she turned, her gaze ricocheting between Vegeta and Piccolo’s. Her eyes filled and she covered her mouth with her free hand as she whispered, “I’m so sorry I kept this from you two. I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so happy for you.” She fell forward into Piccolo’s arms and Trunks could hear her muttering more to him.

Piccolo held her, rubbing her back, and whispered, “It’s alright. Stop. Shut up. It’s alright. I know.”

Vegeta curled over both of them. Goku cleared his throat and said, “Sooo…are we finishing the movie or should I go unless I want to join my sons in seeing you guys do more than I want to see?”

“You don’t have a bit of tact, Kakarot!” Vegeta bit out, “We’re having a godsdamned moment!”

“Yeah, but it was a really good part, and there’s only like fifteen minutes left!” Goku whined.

Trunks and Goten looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, curious if Vegeta would blast him. Vegeta said, “Press play, woman, so the idiot can finish his movie.”

“You don’t have to be mean, Vegeta,” Goku said, looking forlornly at the empty popcorn bowl that was big enough to be a trough.

Goten slumped back onto Trunks, yawning, and whispered, “Can we go to bed, beautiful?”

Trunks stood up and said, “We’re off to bed!” but no one noticed or cared, Bulla and Goku were engrossed in the movie, clinging to each other, and Trunks’s three parents were all still touching Piccolo’s belly.

In their bedroom, Trunks undressed Goten, who looked sad. Trunks said, “You okay, baby? Are you upset that Vegeta was mean to your dad again?”

Goten canted his head to the side and said, “What? No, my dad could have watched it later.”

“Okay…But…then why are you so sad?” Trunks said and caressed Goten’s face.

“I was really sure Piccolo and I were at the same point. But he got to feel the baby move and I haven’t had that yet,” Goten said frowning. Goten’s eyes filled and he flopped on his side and burrowed into his pillow.

Trunks was accustomed to Goten being an emotional wreck lately. He cried or got angry about seemingly random things, lovey and horny and excited just as unpredictably. Trunks slid into bed behind Goten and spooned him. Trunks spoke warily when Goten was in a pique about something. He said, “‘Ten, I’m sorry. I know you really want to be at the same spot as Piccolo. Do…do you just want the baby’s to have the same birthday?”

Goten sniffled. He rolled halfway back toward Trunks and said, “No. I just wanted us to be at the same place…” Goten paused and took a shuddering breath, “But…I’m also afraid, Trunks. I’m afraid to see him go into labor and do that, have a baby come out of his body, and like, have to just wait for it to happen to me after seeing it happen to him.”

That, at least, made sense to Trunks. He didn’t dare bring up that Goten had brazenly stated he was unafraid of labor and birth when he cavalierly got pregnant.

Goten said, “Don’t make fun of me, Daddy, I’m not _that_ scared.” Trunks startled. Their telepathy, while not like Vegeta and Piccolo, still took Trunks by surprise when Goten responded to things that Trunks only thought about. Goten continued, “I just also, I dunno, Piccolo and I are doing so much together, I kinda wish we could do that together. Plus, Vegeta’s a pussy, so you might have to man Piccolo’s birth too and—”

“What!?” Trunks squawked.

“It’s like you don’t listen to any of us, Daddy. Don’t you remember that Piccolo said Vegeta wasn’t actually in the room for your birth or Bulla’s because he faints.”

Trunks stammered, “Yeah, but, I mean, like, don’t you, oh gods, but, shouldn’t, shit. ‘Ten!”

“Settle down, Trunks, it looks like _I’ll_ be manning Piccolo’s birth,” Goten said with a disappointed head shake.

“Why wouldn’t my mom just do it?”

“What do you think Piccolo would do to Bulma’s hand if he held it through a contraction?” Goten said and the exasperation was so thick in his voice that Trunks felt bad for being so thick.

“Oh crap! Vegeta has to get over his bullshit. That’s the only solution,” Trunks said.

Goten snorted. “Vegeta has literally saved the universe, but still passed out from seeing Bulma’s—“

“NO! Do not say that!” Trunks screeched. 

Goten sighed and continued, “Fine. Vegeta’s not going to suddenly get over this, Daddy. And Bulla’s too young to let Piccolo crush her hand and call her mean names.”

“Man, I never thought about the fact that Piccolo literally brought me and Bulla into the world. Like no doctor or anything. That’s crazy. I can’t believe he’s forgiven her.”

“Do you ever wonder why he didn’t knock her up? Do you think she planned that too? Like she figured out a way to stop Namekian sperm but not Saiyan?”

Trunks clasped his head in his hands and groaned. “Oh man, ‘Ten. I…shit…that is exactly the type of shit she would do. She is definitely really stressed about my dads being out and proud in the public eye. She’s much more image conscious than I realized, and I understand with the business, especially now that she’s full CEO and everything. I heard the three of them arguing more about Bulla’s preschool stuff. Piccolo threatened to take Bulla to the capsule house and homeschool her if Bulma didn’t get something figured out for the publicity.”

Goten said, “Yeah…Piccolo told me. I guess Vegeta keeps waffling until Piccolo withholds…” Goten trailed off and then awkwardly continued, “his love. It’s just so fucked. I honestly don’t know how it hasn’t gotten out already that we’re aliens, but surely the whole world knows Piccolo isn’t human, right?! And the whole world knows who Piccolo _is_ , so why…why don’t they just put her in preschool and deal with the gossip? I mean, being gay isn’t that big of a deal anymore, so do you think it’s because it would out them as being in a threesome? I’m kind of with Piccolo that they should just do it and deal with what happens afterwards. I guess Vegeta and Bulma are both worried about Piccolo's safety, which I suppose would be reasonable if they weren't telepathic and also two of the universe’s strongest guys.”

Trunks nodded. He spread his hand on Goten’s belly as Goten rolled to be on his back more. Trunks changed the topic, “Speaking of strength, our little guy is so powerful, baby. Bulla’s finally going to have a playmate that can keep up, you know? I never thought about how lucky we were that we had each other. Can you imagine if we’d only had human friends?”

“Yeah, that definitely would have sucked,” Goten said, and then rolled up onto Trunks’s hips. “Just like it would suck if I didn’t have my powerful, beautiful, Saiyan mate.”

Trunks pushed Goten’s wild black strands out of his face. It was getting long again. “You’re perfect, ‘Ten,” Trunks said and curled up to kiss his mate, holding his round, taut belly.

Goten grinned and slowly unbuttoned Trunks’s shirt, spreading it open and groping Trunks. He said, “Can I fuck you tonight, Daddy? Not wet?”

“Not physically, no, but I want you so bad, baby, that I should be wet,” Trunk said and helped Goten take him out of his shorts. He sprawled open for his mate, but Goten frowned. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I think I’m too fat like this. Can I flip you over?”

Trunks got on all fours. Trunks’s whole lower body felt heavy and hot already. Trunks also thought part of their telepathy was this—the way their want flooded into the other until Trunks couldn’t tell where the desire came from, himself or his mate, but he didn’t care. Trunks wanted his mate inside him, but Goten’s hands palmed his ass gently. Trunks started to speak, but Goten’s hands slid up his flanks. Goten’s tongue lapped at his opening and Trunks gasped, “Oh shit.”

Goten licked Trunks more until he was panting and dripping. His mate shifted and Trunks watched him use his own wetness to slick his cock. Goten whispered, “Thanks for taking care of me, Daddy.”

“I love you, ‘Ten. You’re gonna do great having the baby,” Trunks said.

Goten smiled and said, “Thanks, Daddy. I know you’ll carry me through.”

Trunks groaned as Goten eased inside him. Goten had been eager to top Trunks lately and Trunks knew there was a nibbling fear in Goten’s mind that once he wasn’t pregnant anymore, he wouldn’t be able to fuck Trunks without risking impregnating him. Trunks worried about it too. He loved topping Goten, really loved topping Goten, but Goten fucked Trunks perfectly. Trunks would miss it if they couldn’t do it until they were ready to have another kid. Trunks’s ability to think diminished with Goten’s every plunge.

“Baby, your dick feels so good,” Trunks panted out, slamming himself back harder to take more of Goten’s length. “Deeper, please, fuck me deeper.”

Goten did because Goten always did just what Trunks needed. He wrapped one hand around the base of Trunks’s tail and one around his cock. Trunks groaned, “Baby, can my tail fuck you? I love being inside you while you’re inside me.”

“Yes, oh fuck, yes, hurry, Daddy!” Goten’s thrusting was more frantic. 

Trunks’s tail curled back around the base of Goten’s and then slipped into his sopping heat. “Baby, you’re so wet for me, gods, I want to fuck you so deep while you come inside me,” Trunks said. He drove his tail into his mate, flicking the tip against Goten’s prostate while Goten’s cock slammed into his.

“Daddy…fuck me just like that, Daddy! Oh gods! Please, oh fuck! Come for me, Daddy! Come with me!” Goten cried.

Trunks wailed as Goten filled him and his ass gripped and squeezed Trunks’s tail, sending lightning bolts up his spine and rippling back down into his loins. The heat in his belly burst into flames and he came hard. The overlaid layers of all their different forms of pleasure enhanced what was already a mind-blowing orgasm.

Trunks reached back to clutch Goten’s ass. “Fuck, that…that was incredible, baby. I love how you fuck me so much.”

Trunks wondered if the pregnancy was heightening Goten’s mind-reading skills with Trunks because he seemed to get far more of Trunks’s thoughts than Trunks got of his perfect mate’s. “Hmm? No, I don’t think so, Daddy. You just think loudly. Don’t worry so much about me not being able to top you. Maybe we can try condoms again. Maybe when we’re not claiming each other it won’t be awful. Since we’ll have a baby. Vegeta said that Saiyan claims want a baby, so maybe it’s less…demanding…once it has one?”

“Yeah, I’ve been reading through all my mom’s research and there’s just a ton of holes in our knowledge since it’s really just my dad that she’s basing everything off. I’m going to see if your dad would let her run some tests on him too. Then us. Maybe we’ll be able to put more of the puzzle together. But right now, I want to curl up around my mate and enjoy being the big spoon while he’s pregnant.”

Goten laughed and kissed Trunks’s ass cheeks. “We better clean-up, Daddy, or I’ll stick to the bed with all that cum.”

Once they’d cleaned up, Goten passed out immediately, but Trunks’s mind wouldn’t stop whirring. He worried about what else Bulma might be hiding. He worried about Piccolo laboring without Vegeta. He worried about his mate laboring even if he was there to help him. He worried about being a parent. He worried about Bulla turning into a savage. Trunks’s worries had worries. He couldn’t get them to stop multiplying and inviting new ones.

He felt out Bulma’s chi. She was by herself again. Trunks knew his fathers were still sleeping in their room most nights. Before he hadn’t asked why, but now Trunks needed to know how many more potential secrets there were to be unleashed on his fragile family. He kissed Goten’s shoulder softly, left him a note, and pulled on a pair of sweats. He walked quietly through the darkened halls of Capsule Corp, steeling himself for a conversation he didn’t really want to have with his mother.


	23. The New Arrival

Trunks hadn’t been to or in his parents bedroom since the last time he’d tried to find condoms when he was about thirteen. Before that it had been even longer. The place felt ominous to him. Maybe Trunks had always had some subliminal sense that his parents had some kink going on because even now, he kept his chi-radar tuned as high as possible to avoid any shenanigans. It still felt almost dangerous to knock on the bedroom door.

He did it anyway and Bulma’s voice sounded thick and teary as she called, “Bulla, go back to bed, sweetie!”

“Hey, um, Mom, it’s, uh, it’s Trunks,” he said.

He heard her mutter, “Fuck,” and a flurry of activity before she called more loudly, “What is it, sweetie? You can come in.”

Trunks stepped in. She wore a fluffy robe. Her eyes were puffy and red and raw. “Jeez, Mom, I thought things were okay? Are you guys still…bad?”

“Oh, Trunks, no. I mean, yeah, we’re still…working through some stuff…but this,” she gestured towards her tear-damp face, “this is just my own doing. What’s up? It’s not like you to not be screwing Goten stupid at this hour.”

Trunks whined, “Mo-o-om, gross! Don’t do that! It’s bad enough with Dad and Papa teasing me!”

Bulma gave a snotty laugh. “I’m sorry. Between the four of you and Goku trying to come out of the closet, I can’t even help myself. Is ‘Ten okay? He seemed down when you took him to bed.”

“Yeah, mostly. But…that’s not why I’m here. I’m still trying to wrap my head around…everything…because, just, wow, but, I don’t want to have to have some kind of crisis every week. I…I need to know if there’s anything…else,” Trunks said, searching his mother’s eyes.

She stared him down long enough that he expected her to berate him. Instead she said, “Well. You’re definitely _my_ son—“

“Fuck! Godsdamnit, Mom, how could you!? Fuck! And _Goten_ figured this one out!”

“Wait…figured what out?” Bulma said and narrowed her eyes.

“Did you plan it so that…that Vegeta’s sperm would win? Did you do that to Piccolo too?” Trunks said and his eyes filled.

“Oh! Gods, no, fuck, thank gods I didn’t do that. They can both smell when I’m in heat, so…no. Definitely not.”

“Then why are me and Bulla both Vegeta’s?” Trunks said.

“I’m not sure humans and Nameks are compatible from the basic genetic work I tried to do. I don’t think he and I _could_ have a baby. But…I never told him that,” Bulma said, “That’s…I assumed you put that together when you read my research. Please…Trunks…I…I figured there was no harm in him continuing to try, right? He wanted a baby so bad.”

“Wow. Yet you had no problem keeping the solution from him while getting fucked by him?” Trunks asked.

“Trunks, I’m not defending myself. I don’t expect you to understand because you and Goten are like the two of them. But…when it all started, we all wanted it. We all felt something. And that never changed. Of course they were happy just the two of them, but they’re happy with me too. The three of us. I was so scared to lose it, Trunks, that I made a selfish decision. A really selfish decision. I regret hurting them, but then I might not have Bulla.”

“You sure it’s not part of the same shallow bullshit that’s making you continue to try to take Bulla away from Piccolo?”

“She needs to be around other children,” Bulma said and held her hands up. “I’m not fucking arguing with _you_ about it too. It’s enough with my partners.”

“No! You fucking _robbed_ me of the father that _loved_ me. Don’t do that to her! Fuck you. Fuck Vegeta. Fuck Piccolo. What about _Bulla_? Do you know how much it sucks to know that I was just…cruel…to the man who raised me? Who loved me? Who _stayed_? It _sucks_ , Mom. Don’t you dare fucking do that to her. Just let her go to preschool having Piccy, Daddy, and Mommy! Who fucking cares!?”

“Oh, and do you think she won’t get teased for having three parents, and they won’t point out that her green daddy isn’t really her daddy at all and that it might eat away at the affection she has for Picc? Huh? You don’t think it might poison it?”

“For Bulla? No. Not even a little. She’s fiercely loyal to him. You saw her fucking punch _Vegeta_ tonight, right? Defending her Piccy? Come on, Mom. Just…don’t be a dick.”

Bulma rubbed her temples. “Go to bed, Trunks. I’ll…I’ll tell Picc the genetic stuff so you don’t have to carry that. I just…I really love him. I know you’re suspicious. But I loved him first. He’s been my best friend since we all came back from Namek. It’s breaking my heart to have my best friend mad at me.” Bulma took a shuddering breath and Trunks saw that it was true. His mother was just sad that she’d hurt her friend and lover.

“Then _stop being a dick_ ,” Trunks said shaking both his hands in the air to emphasize his point. 

Bulma took a deep breath, but before either could say more, a deep voice said, “What’s going on, kid? Why are you calling your mom a dick in the middle of the night?”

“Eleven is not the middle of the night,” Trunks said flippantly and turned to find a very grumpy Piccolo staring down at him.

“You wanna run that by me again, kid?” Piccolo said, raising an eyebrow.

“Look, I just wanted to talk to her. I’ll go so you two can, uh, chat.”

“Night, sweetie,” Bulma said.

“Goten okay? He looked a little wan after the baby kicked,” Piccolo said, his face crumpling into concern.

“Yeah…just kinda crushed his ‘same-day-delivery’ dreams,” Trunks said with a shrug.

“You know what that’s about?” Piccolo asked.

“Yeah. It’s okay though. Under control. See you guys in the morning. Love you both,” Trunks said, tipping them a little wave. He hugged Piccolo, since he was right there. Trunks’s secret father seemed like he needed more hugs. It startled Piccolo, but he wrapped his long arms around Trunks fiercely.

A sharp little jab hit Trunks in his chest. “Whoa! Feisty already!” Trunks said, laughing and shifting to put his hands on Piccolo’s round belly. “I can’t believe my little brother is already picking fights. You better be tough, little guy, you’ll have Bulla to deal with!” Trunks said and received a punch and a kick simultaneously, one in each hand. He looked up at Piccolo, whose face was split in a wide, fanged grin, and said, “Is Papa training him already?”

“Probably gonna come out going fucking super Saiyan, right?” Piccolo said and chuckled.

“Probably going to come out saying ‘fuck,’” Bulma said, arching a blue brow at Piccolo.

Piccolo gave her a little fake glare and said, “You better run along, Trunks.”

“Ack, not you two, too!” Trunks said.

“Least she doesn’t call me, Daddy. Just ‘Green Daddy,’” Piccolo said and absolutely cracked up when Trunks gave him a sour look.

“You suck!” Trunks said, but took good advice when he got it. He tried to turn down his chi awareness as he hurried back to his mate. But as he did, he felt Goten’s mind searching for his. He sprinted all the way to their apartment. 

Trunks burst into their bedroom and said, “Baby? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He rushed to the bed where Goten was on his back.

Goten had a huge grin on his face. “Daddy, come here, hurry!”

Trunks climbed in the bed and almost face-planted when Goten seized his hand as he crawled toward his mate. He smushed it onto his belly. Trunks felt his son punch his hand, not as viciously as his little brother just had, but a definite little blow.

Goten said, “Daddy! Maybe me and Piccolo will still go into labor the same day! He’s so strong!” Goten’s face was glowing. Trunks kissed his happy mate and they fell asleep together with their hands on Goten’s belly.

* * *

Trunks wondered if his mother had taken his advice about Bulla, because more than once over the next few days, Trunks caught Bulma and Piccolo, smiling and whispering to each other. He caught them kissing a couple times too, which he was less excited about, but kissing was better than simmering anger. Vegeta, in his new exhibitionist form, was all over both of them, all the time, and Trunks lived in terror of Vegeta’s chi for a whole new reason. 

Trunks struggled to focus at school, not that he needed to focus to do well. His mental connection to Goten got stronger daily, to the point that he often felt like he was eavesdropping on his mate’s brain. Goten and Piccolo were busy with baby projects, feeling each other’s babies kicking and punching, and generally being annoyed at their confinement. Piccolo was less uncomfortable than Goten, and Trunks appreciated the way that Piccolo tried to take care of Goten as his physical misery increased.

Aside from all Goten’s pregnancy interference whirring in Trunks’s brain that kept him from participating in his own life, Goten worried a lot about Goku, adding another layer of static to Trunks’s thoughts. Goku and ChiChi decided to split after he expressed a desire to actually have a baby. ChiChi still refused to see Goten or talk to him until he “stopped” being pregnant. The pain that caused Trunks’s mate almost doubled Trunks over whenever Goten had to confront it directly. Goku’s mopey presence always brought with it the pain of Goten’s mother’s rejection. All of Goten’s worries and sorrows rattled in Trunks brain like an old, grimy window that he had to look through to see his own thoughts.

After three weeks, Bulma finally arranged their crib shopping outing, but both Vegeta and Trunks wanted to be with their mates while they shopped. Goku said he didn’t mind guarding, but Vegeta found the idea of only “the clown” protecting the store unacceptable. They had two more weeks before the scheduled shopping day, and Trunks heard through his unintentional psychic eavesdropping how distressed Vegeta was, to the point that Piccolo didn’t think Vegeta would let him go. Piccolo’s despair about not getting to go with Goten was palpable even through Trunks’s connection to Goten’s mind.

After getting called out by a teacher when Trunks snarled, “Bullshit,” in the middle of class, Trunks had a flash of insight. He skipped the rest of his classes and hurried home to talk to Vegeta and Bulma. Goten was absolutely despondent about not having his pregnancy bestie with him for crib-shopping. His moodiness meant that he was curled up weeping when Trunks got home to him.

“Hey, baby, shh…Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan to get Vegeta to stop being stupid about it. Okay? Piccolo’s going to get to go, and I can guard if my proposal doesn’t sway Vegeta.”

“But I want you with me, Daddy,” Goten said and his face fell again.

Trunks kissed Goten’s belly and was rewarded with a feisty kick. Goten laughed and said, “He’s got an attitude already.”

“He does. Must be those Vegeta genes,” Trunks said and crawled up his mate’s body to kiss him.

“What’re you thinking, Daddy?” Goten said, but it was clear that wasn’t what he was actually interested in as he thrust his hand into Trunks’s pants. He stroked Trunks roughly and growled, “Never mind, I don’t care, I just want you to fuck me so hard, Daddy. I was so horny this morning, but I was too tired to get up before you left for school.”

Trunks laid Goten on his side and flopped his leg over his shoulder, facing Goten’s ass. He licked the inside of Goten’s thigh and purred, “You smell so fucking good, my mate. I can’t stop thinking about tasting you.” Trunks ran his tongue along Goten’s taint and onto his pucker. “Fuck, yes, ‘Ten, you’re twitching for me already.”

“Trunks…gods…if you do that…” Goten panted out and shifted to open himself wider. 

Trunks rimmed Goten sloppily, loving how wet his mate was for him, loving the way Goten moaned and writhed for him. Goten started to stroke Trunks’s cock, but Trunks said, “No, baby, I just want to pleasure you. Let me, okay?”

Goten’s hand fell away from Trunks’s prick. “Daddy…fuck…your mouth. I missed you. I need you, please! I need you inside me,” Goten panted out. 

Trunks could never resist his mate pleading for him, so he scooted around behind Goten and pressed his prick into the clenching heat of his mate. He kissed over Goten’s shoulders and whispered, “Oh gods, baby, I can’t do school anymore. I miss you too much. I need to be with you all the time. I love you so much, my mate.”

Trunks rolled slowly and deeply into Goten. He wrapped his arm around Goten’s big belly, sliding it up and down the ripe circumference. He loved his mate like this, and it still sometimes took him by surprise to love his mate’s fertility. Trunks was so smitten with their baby and that surprised him too. The fact that he wanted a baby at all. There was something primal about seeing Goten this way, knowing that Trunks had claimed him that way.

Thinking about their claim sent his hand slipping up onto Goten’s pec. He traced the crescent-shaped scars of his teeth. His claim on his perfect mate. Goten bucked back toward him and purred, “Deeper, Daddy, go super Saiyan. I need all of you.”

Trunks obliged and slithered his bottom arm underneath Goten’s neck so he could reach across his torso to touch his claim. It turned him on even more to touch it with both hands, but he brought his top hand down to wrap around Goten’s cock so their tails could twine. Trunks loved stroking Goten’s prick with his tail, but tail-twining was a whole different pleasure and connection. He needed it after missing his mate all morning. Even though he hadn’t finished his day of school, the need and longing were painful, and as soon as their tails twisted around one another, he felt soothed.

Goten thrust up into his hand, tightening his ass. Trunks gasped, “‘Ten, my mate, oh gods, you gonna come for me? I want to fill you, baby. I want to come so deep inside you. Please, come with me!” Trunks didn’t think he could hold on against Goten’s tightening asshole.

Goten whimpered and Trunks’s hand was warm and wet with his mate’s cum, giving him permission to let himself go. “Fill me, Daddy. Yes, oh fuck, yes!” Goten cried out. 

Trunks’s orgasm ripped through him, always so intense after that almost unbearable missing. Trunks whole pelvis exploded with spasming pleasure to match Goten’s ass gripping him. Their tails tightened and slipped up and down one another.

“Oh, baby, you’re perfect,” Trunks murmured and bit and nipped along Goten’s back. They stilled after a while, catching their breath. Trunks gave his mate a loving squeeze, caressing their mating mark.

“Daddy?”

“Mmm?”

“I can’t…I can’t stand it anymore either. I need you with me. Piccolo feels it too, so I think it’s maybe some mix of confinement and the pregnancy progressing. He cried yesterday! He cried just because Vegeta was off training with Goku. I’m worried about him. I think their separation after you were born is fucking with both of their heads,” Goten said, and pushed Trunks’s hands onto his belly. “It’s fucked. Every time Picc talks about it, my stomach hurts. You’d never leave me like that, right, Daddy?”

“Fuck, no, of course not. I can’t fucking believe Vegeta did that. The fucking monster. What is wrong with him?”

“I dunno. I don’t ever want another though. I want us to just be us. The threesome seems really complicated. Picc is all over the map. I know you think I’m moody, but he’s a fucking wild card.”

“Yeah, I get a little of that through you. But hey, you want to come with me to talk to Vegeta about my plan for the shopping trip…and…and for your dad,” Trunks said. He hadn’t floated his proposal to Goten yet. He wasn’t sure what his mate would think about it.

“Sure. Let’s get cleaned up. I’ll do anything to make sure Picc can go. He’s so sad, Daddy. He thinks Vegeta’s being paranoid,” Goten said.

“Well, yeah, because Vegeta is being paranoid,” Trunks answered with a little scoff.

“You’re not worried about us being in there with only my dad?” Goten said suspiciously.

“Your dad is the strongest guy in the universe, who could fuck with him?”

“I’m more worried about his attention span and…you know…my dad isn’t great at…noticing…things,” Goten said and eased off Trunks’s prick.

The hollow ache that roared through Trunks made him squeak with suffering. He didn’t like being physically parted from Goten at all, but it always seemed worse after they fucked.

“You okay, Daddy?” Goten asked, his eyebrows humping up in the middle.

“Yeah. Sorry. You know how it is, it’s hard to separate.”

Goten’s head tipped off to the side. “Like…you’re hurt?”

“Yeah…do…do you not feel that? It’s like a gentle kick in the nuts,” Trunks said, suddenly worried that maybe he was more attached to his mate than his mate was to him.

“Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry. Picc said Vegeta’s been having that too. I wonder if just effects the sperm daddy.”

Trunks frowned. He didn’t say anymore because he didn’t want to spiral into fear and despair, which seemed to be his thing as his mate got more and more emotional. Trunks worried constantly that he was letting his mate down. Trunks even had the ridiculous and nearly constant urge to _hunt_. Trunks wasn’t like Vegeta or the Sons. He did not enjoy catching food. Trunks was raised a spoiled brat. He preferred his food to be suitably removed from its origins. But lately, especially the past few weeks, he’d smelled Vegeta bringing prey home to Piccolo and it had awakened something in Trunks.

“Hey, baby, would you like it if I…if I brought some…you know…game…home?” Trunks said, wanting to throw up a little at the thought, but also oddly exhilarated by the prospect of doing that for his mate.

Goten smiled and caressed Trunks’s face as they cleaned up. “Aw, did Picc make you feel bad for not hunting for me because he’s been secret giving me the stuff Vegeta brings home like some kind of weird overgrown cat?”

“What!? You’ve been eating _prey_ from Papa?” Trunks squawked. The thought bothered Trunks way more than he felt was reasonable. His desire to go and rumble with Vegeta was almost undeniable.

“Daddy, settle down. You know how green poor Picc gets eating, and Vegeta was freaking out about the fact that he wasn’t eating the prey. And you know how I’ve been eating, right? You can’t even bring enough stuff home from the store. So Picc helps me chi roast it, and then I eat it, but he says he eats it so Vegeta will leave him alone.”

“No, no, no, no, no. Not okay. You can’t be eating prey from someone else! Are…oh gods, are you…” Trunks tried to stifle the crazies that spilled into his vision, turning everything red and hazy.

Goten sighed and dragged Trunks into their kitchen. He flopped back on the kitchen counter that opened into their living area. He spread his legs and commanded Trunks, “You fuck me right now, Daddy, and take some nice deep breaths.”

Trunks couldn’t see, couldn’t think. He could smell that his mate was still so wet for him, could smell his own cum inside his mate, but all he could _see_ was Vegeta rutting on Goten. Trunks roared and slammed himself into Goten hard. He gripped Goten’s thighs and pistoned into the tight, perfect heat of his mate, growling, “You’re fucking _mine_ , ‘Ten. I’ll _murder_ him. You’re _mine! MINE!_ ”

Goten put his hands over Trunks’s and said, “Yeah, of course I’m yours, Daddy. I don’t want Vegeta. Only you. Only my Trunks. Look at me, Daddy. Look into my eyes. Here, come here, put your hands on me.” Goten spread one of Trunks’s hands on his taut belly, and he took Trunks’s other hand in his, jerking Goten off fast together as Trunks continued to pound him.

“Feels good, baby? Okay? Happy with me? Happy with your mate? Yeah? With me? Right?” Trunks said, and his eyes filled. He’d never been so scared in his life that Goten was going to say no. That Goten was going to laugh and shove Trunks out of him.

“Daddy, of course I’m happy with you,” Goten whispered and he sat up enough that he could press his fingertips into Trunks’s mark. It helped, but the crazies didn’t abate entirely. Goten’s deep brown, velvety tail slinked up and down Trunks’s lavender one and Trunks whimpered. Goten growled, “There you go, Daddy. Tails don’t lie. You know that. You’re mine too, Trunks. Always. That’s my Daddy. Show me who my Daddy is and come in my tight ass. I want more of you, Daddy. Show me I’m yours, right? Fuck that ass, my mate!”

Trunks wailed as he came and fucked into Goten frantically on the counter until the granite broke, but Trunks didn’t care at all. He needed more. He needed his mate’s cum. He pulled out quickly and took Goten’s prick in his mouth.

“Oh fuck, Trunks!” Goten squeaked. 

Trunks thrust his fingers inside his mate’s cum-slick core and found his prostate. He pressed against it and sent a vibrating stream of chi into it as he bobbed his mouth up and down on Goten’s prick, taking him deep into his throat.

Goten screamed and his heels caught on the shattered edge of the granite counter so he could push up into Trunks’s mouth even harder. Trunks purred at the intrusion into his throat. This was what he needed. Goten’s seed spilled into Trunks’s throat, almost choking him, and Trunks felt such blessed relief that he wanted to suck his mate off again just to feel better.

The red film on his eyes diminished. He eased Goten out of his mouth and kissed up the center line of his tight belly, earning a couple feisty kicks on his way to curl over Goten and kiss his mouth. “Okay, my mate?”

“Yeah, Daddy. Great. You poor thing. I’ll always love you, Trunks. Don’t worry, okay?”

Trunks wished he could stop worrying. He wanted to obey his mate, but his worries begat more worries. Trunks helped clean Goten up and they got dressed to go find Vegeta and Goku. Trunks felt the stifling confusion of his mate-crazies around the edges of his vision. The thought of Goten eating Vegeta’s catches caused him to growl low in his throat. “I’m going hunting after this!” he snarled.

“Daddy, don’t do this. You don’t need to hunt for me. You hate hunting. And Picc really, really doesn’t want to eat the stuff Vegeta brings home. Can you just do it for your dad? Can you let this go?”

Trunks squirmed like his skin was on backwards. He could see rationally that he was being absurd, but his reptile brain wouldn’t stop goading him. He could be quick. He sent out feelers for a small dinosaur or a big stag. He found one, rocketed off into the forest, and slammed into the big beast’s neck. It cracked easily and Trunks picked the thing up by its tail. He flopped it in front of Capsule Corp, feeling much relieved, and bellowed, “Goten! ‘Ten!”

Trunks rushed to his mate, when he didn’t answer right away, but Goten was on his way. “Oh! Baby, look, there, you…you want me to gut it?”

“Do you know _how_ to gut it, Daddy?” Goten said, arching an amused brow at Trunks. Trunks really did hate hunting.

“No…but I have the internet. I can figure it out!”

“It’s fine, Daddy, I’ll do it. I don’t mind. Do you want me to eat this now? Will that put you at ease?” Goten asked, touching Trunks’s arms.

“Do…will…are you…are you pleased?” Trunks said, his vision blurring, but from tears or mate-crazies, Trunks didn’t know.

Goten kissed him deeply and gave him a beautiful, bright smile. “Of course I am, my mate. You go talk to Vegeta and my dad about your plan. I’ll come in once I’m done with this.”

“You’re safe?” Trunks said, still on edge.

“Yeah, of course. You always keep me safe. You’ll feel if I’m not, Daddy.” Goten swatted Trunks’s ass.

Trunks left mainly because he still didn’t want to know how to dress out a dinosaur, even if it would make him a better mate. His nose wrinkled up in distaste when he felt all three of his parents’ chi together. He desperately hoped that they were not fucking. Bulla was napping, so the fucking was a possibility, even though they were in Bulma’s lab. Their chi were stable though.

Trunks was loud and obnoxious on the stairs, clearing his throat and thumping with each step. He reached the bottom and shrieked, “Oh, godsdamnit!” Piccolo was behind Vegeta who was bent over behind Bulma.

All three of his parents stood up and hooted with wild laughter. They were all dressed. “You assholes!” Trunks snapped.

Piccolo held his big belly as he cackled. “Your face, kid!” He doubled over laughing. Vegeta wheezed with silent laughter. Bulma’s cheeks flamed red, but she couldn’t stop either. 

Trunks tried to resist the contagion of all three of his parents laughing, but then Bulma croaked out, “Look at his face! Now Trunks is a Green Daddy too!” Trunks caught their laughter as Bulma dissolved into another fit of giggles, leaning into Piccolo’s embrace.

Trunks finally calmed enough to say, “You guys are gross! Other kids’ parents don’t do this!”

“Well, other kids’ dads probably don’t get pregnant either, so you get all kinds of bonus material, kid,” Piccolo said, swiping tears of mirth from his eyes. Vegeta was getting handsy, so Trunks knew he had to hurry his proposal along or they’d probably try to sneak into a supply closet or something equally repulsive.

“Jeez, Papa, hands where I can see ‘em!” Trunks cried as Vegeta slipped a hand into Piccolo’s sweats.

“Oh fine, hurry up, boy! Why are you even here if not for voyeurism?” Vegeta said, whirling his finger in a ‘get on with it’ gesture.

“Yuck! I don't want to voyeur my parents! You guys are the worst!” Trunks fake gagged and continued, “I have an idea for the crib-shopping thing. But we’d need to IT. And…it might mean Goku would get his pure Saiyan baby.”

Piccolo hissed, “Vegeta is _not_ fucking Goku!”

“No, yeah, I know that, Dad. Settle down. I heard what you’ve been doing with Goten, so I’m already battling my own mate-crazies. Anyway—“

Vegeta gaped at Piccolo and screeched, “What have you been doing with Goten?” Vegeta’s eyes were turning visibly red. Trunks realized immediately how his words had sounded.

Trunks shouted, “No, Papa, he’s just been sharing your…um…prey…with Goten. Dad can't eat it all, so he’s been giving some of the—“

Vegeta stared at Trunks. Piccolo was making a frantic throat-slitting gesture, clearly trying to get Trunks to stop talking, but it was too late. Vegeta whirled, scowling, back to Piccolo. “ _Minaiya_?! Is this true?”

“Damnit, Trunks,” Piccolo growled and sighed, “Why?! Why would you say anything like that around Vegeta?” Piccolo scrubbed his hands over his face. “Baby, you know I don’t feel well, how could I possibly eat a whole dinosaur? I’m not Saiyan.” Piccolo curled down and kissed Vegeta.

Trunks was finally used to seeing his two fathers kiss, but he still didn’t really like it. “Gods, can I just get my idea out there so I don’t have to be a part of this?”

Piccolo glared at him and mouthed, “You suck!”

Trunks stuck his tongue out at his larger father. Piccolo kissed Vegeta and murmured to him more, but Vegeta’s mate-crazies were making the usual demand. Trunks blurted, “I think you should go get Broly and bring him back for Goku. They had chemistry. They could have a baby. And Broly would help guard. And we can ask Gohan too. And Krillin. And Dende can at least lend eyes, right?”

Vegeta didn’t even turn away from where he was kissing Piccolo’s bare pecs as he said, “Yes, fine, I’ll get Broly today. Go away. Lock the door.”

Trunks tried to say more, but Bulma said, “Not in my lab you two! Get out!”

Vegeta said, “No, you too, woman,” and yanked her over toward them.

Trunks dashed toward the stairs but Piccolo called, “You’re on Bulla duty when she wakes up and she’s going to be starving because she cut lunch short when she set it on fire in a fit of pique!”

“Fine!” Trunks grumbled and squawked in horror as Vegeta absolutely shredded Bulma’s shirt. He ran back to his mate, turning his mind away from his stupid parents.

* * *

Trunks stopped going to school and Bulma got a note from their physician saying he had mono. He took up hunting daily. Every day, Piccolo gave him a pissed off look when he dropped his catches for Goten. Vegeta still brought prey to Piccolo every day. Vegeta prepared the meat himself and then loomed near Piccolo, like the hyena version of a schoolmarm, making sure Piccolo ate it. Piccolo was miserable, so Goten was miserable, which meant that Trunks was miserable. And all because he blabbed about _meat_. It was all maddening. Trunks wondered if Piccolo would mind if Trunks killed Vegeta to end his prey fixation.

Vegeta did at least bring Broly to Capsule Corp. Bulma took one look at him and said, “Shit, we’re gonna need another fridge to feed you, aren’t we?”

Broly looked wounded but didn’t argue. Broly also only grudgingly agreed to come to help Vegeta with some fight, so when Vegeta said, “In a week and a half, you and Kakarot and Kakarot’s eldest will guard the baby boutique while my mate and I select infant furniture.”

Broly glared and said, “You brought me across the galaxy…to shop?” He blinked a few times, and punched Vegeta in the face.

Trunks burst out laughing, despite his fear that Piccolo would go mate-crazy. Piccolo did nothing because he looked like he was about to puke. Piccolo’s face shifted into a wan half-smile and he said, “Hey, Broly, you want some meat?”

“Yeah, actually, Piccolo, where?” Broly said, his eyes lighting up. Piccolo directed him to the dinosaur steaks he was supposed to be eating.

Vegeta was just recovering from the unexpected Broly punch, and he spluttered in protest, “What are you saying!? You can’t give that to Broly! It’s for you! For the baby!”

Piccolo snarled at him, “I am not _fucking_ you again until you stop force-feeding me game! I’m not a Saiyan and eating like a Saiyan makes me want to kill a fucking Saiyan!” Piccolo’s chest heaved he was breathing so hard. He winced and held his stomach. “You’re pissing off the baby too!”

Vegeta dabbed at his bloody nose. Vegeta trailed after Piccolo and Broly, still trying to convince Piccolo not to share Vegeta’s gift. Trunks and Goten shrugged and followed too, unable to tear their eyes away from the potential brawl. Goku came out to see what all the hubbub was and his eyes sparkled when they landed on Broly.

“Hey! Broly! What the heck are you doing here?” Goku said with a big smile.

“Hey, Goku! How’s it going? Your tiny friend brought me to protect him during some bullshit shopping trip. He said that it would be worth it for me to come, but I don’t see how me doing him a fucking favor is worth it. I guess maybe a change in diet is good,” Broly said and tore into the dinosaur meat.

Trunks watched, rapt, as Goku fucking _blushed_. Perfect. Trunks didn’t know how he’d missed his fathers’ relationship all these years, or Goten liking him, because he had an eye for crushes. Broly wolfed down a decent amount of meat while Vegeta argued quietly with Piccolo, who was an unhealthy shade of green. Broly stopped eating when he noticed Goku standing near him, scratching the back of his neck. 

Goku said, “Hey, um, if you want, I know some…some good places to hunt and gather. We…we could go get some food…together.”

Trunks had to contain a squeal when Broly flushed a little too. Trunks loved that Goku somehow knew in his bones how to prove his worth as a Saiyan mate. Feed the object of one’s affections. Then show them more food they can eat. Then kill something for them to eat, maybe even gut it for them.

Broly, before answering Goku, turned to Vegeta, like he thought he needed permission, but found no help there. Trunks followed Broly’s gaze, expecting Vegeta to be pouting about the meat transfer and Piccolo to be cajoling him. Instead, Piccolo looked livid, Vegeta was pleading, and Bulma was trying to drag Vegeta away from a very pissed Piccolo. Trunks hated how curious his parents’ relationship dynamics made him. Broly swallowed a mouthful of dinosaur and turned back to Goku. “Yeah, Goku, that’d be fun. You…uh…you want to go tomorrow?”

“Yeah!” Goku said, a huge smile spreading on his face. “Yeah, perfect, you can just come get me whenever you're up. I don’t know if it messes with your body to change star systems, but I always get a bit of…I dunno…transmission lag? But whenever. There’s this great fruit in season. I can’t wait!” Goku bobbed on his feet he was so happy.

Trunks nudged Goten, who watched his father in a kind of horrified fascination. He slowly turned to Trunks and said, “Okay, I kinda see why it freaks you out to see Picc and Vegeta together, because it’s super weird watching my dad try to flirt.”

Goku loitered, as though he was uncertain about what to do next. As Broly made short work of the dinosaur, even cracking open the bones to suck out the marrow, Goku said, “If…um…we…we could go now? Or I can go hunt for you?” The blush on Goku’s face crept down his neck and onto his pecs.

Goten giggled and said, “Oh my god, Daddy, I think my dad is actually trying to have game! Get it, game! Ha!” 

Trunks laughed and kissed Goten. It was the first time in weeks that Goten’s brain wasn’t radiating physical discomfort and sadness. Goten’s brain was delighted. Trunks’s mate’s joy was like a drug. Trunks felt high. He couldn’t wait for the big outing.


	24. Outfits

Trunks thought the time passed quickly until the crib-shopping, but Goten and Piccolo were antsy and anxious. Trunks supposed he would be too if he had been confined for over four months. He truly couldn’t imagine. Trunks hunted every day now, even though Vegeta still brought smaller game for Piccolo, and Goten still clandestinely ate part of it. Trunks loved his mate for never making him handle the gutting or the cooking. Trunks could cook things that came from the grocery store or the farmer’s market, but anything fresher than that made him a little queasy. 

“Picc, what are you gonna wear? I haven’t worn a shirt in like a month and a half because nothing fits,” Goten complained as they got ready for another movie night. It was Broly’s first movie night and Trunks was intrigued to see that Goku was practically in his lap they sat so close. And Goku wasn’t snarfing up all the snacks like a cheap vacuum, so Trunks knew the man was in love because nothing came between Goku and food.

“I know, right? I can barely fit in anything when I'm not a big fat porpoise. Clothes just aren’t made for dudes my size, but especially not when I’m fat,” Piccolo said with a rumbling laugh.

“Do you guys need to wear shirts? I mean no one’s gonna see you. You could just wear fat guy wife-beaters or something,” Trunks offered. He thought he was being helpful, but Goten and Piccolo scowled at him.

Vegeta was frantically mouthing something to Trunks, but he couldn’t make it out. Trunks realized too late that it was, _Touchy subject. Shut up._ Goten wasn’t the only moody pregnant man at the Capsule Corp compound. Goten said, a bit on the petulant side, Trunks thought, “ _You_ get to go out every single day, Daddy, and you get to wear clothes. We haven’t done either in months, so excuse _us_ if we wanted to _actually_ get dressed.”

“Yeah, of course, baby. You do whatever you want. Just…Just trying to help,” Trunks said. It caused Trunks physical suffering now to make Goten unhappy. Like the beginnings of a headache. He winced and Goten’s face softened.

Goten kissed his temple and whispered, “Sorry, Daddy. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, baby. I wish I could help somehow, but I don’t know how to sew. I could go out to the maternity stores and see if I can find something that I think you’d like? I don’t know if anything made for human women will fit your shoulders though. Maybe something sleeveless, though? If it had big enough armholes? I could look for you too, Dad, since I can't really envision Papa going shopping.”

Vegeta snapped, “I’ll do whatever my mate needs!”

“Except stay with him through labor?” Goten said, arching a challenging eyebrow at Vegeta. It turned Trunks on so much when Goten went toe to toe with Vegeta. Trunks tried to hide his rising hard-on.

Vegeta’s eyes went wide and he spluttered at Goten, “You…little…I…that…I can’t help it! It…I…I get too…too…too scared!”

The word “scared” was like blood in shark-infested waters around this many Saiyans. Broly and Goku were close together on a couch slightly below and in front of Vegeta, Piccolo, and Bulma on the shallowly sloped floor of the home theater. Broly craned around, putting his arm up on the back of the couch behind Goku. Broly said, “Scared, eh, ‘Geta? I didn’t peg you for a coward.” The massive man tried to hide his smile.

Goku laughed, leaned in, and whispered to Broly, “I don't think you have to _peg_ ‘Geta at all because Bulma does that.”

Vegeta’s face turned almost purple as he said, “ _What_ did you just say, clown?!”

Goten chimed in and said, “I don’t really think you can call _me_ little, Vegeta.”

Piccolo’s face started out amused and smiling, but it was quickly transforming into rage. Crazy, red-eyed rage. Trunks said, “Okay! I think we’ve all had enough fun at Papa’s expense. Let’s get this movie going _now_ , Mom!”

Bulma looked affronted until Trunks nodded at Piccolo, who had the frantic, jumpy look that preceded mate crazies.

Broly growled at Vegeta, “Don’t you fucking call him a clown, you miniature excuse for a Saiyan.”

Piccolo lost his shit. He roared, but when he launched to attack Broly, Bulma unleashed the airhorn. There was at least one in every room now, hidden like guns in a mob hideout. All the Saiyans squawked and covered their ears. Bulla ascended to super Saiyan and slapped the airhorn out of Bulma’s hands.

Normally the airhorn worked without causing any problems. But normally Piccolo didn’t get incapacitated mid-air with furniture to trip him up. Piccolo’s ears were more sensitive than the Saiyans’ even, and the airhorn was particularly brutal for him. His trajectory got messed up as he screamed, clamping both hands over his ears instinctually. The edge of his foot caught on the low table in front of his couch and he crashed to the ground, landing on his stomach.

There was a moment of silence before Vegeta rocketed up to blue, wrapped around Piccolo. Vegeta made an awful sound, a primal howl. Trunks prepared himself to defend his mother as Vegeta swung his head toward Bulma and hissed, “How could you do that to him?!” Bulma cringed away, clearly knowing that for once she was in real physical danger if she had hurt their child.

Vegeta rolled Piccolo carefully in his lap. Piccolo clutched his stomach, curling into a ball around it. The big man said nothing. His eyes were tightly closed. Trunks searched for the baby’s chi. It was fine. For now. But Trunks didn’t know what a fall like that might’ve done to the baby’s brain or anything else. Piccolo’s body was massive to land on top of the baby. Maybe he’d gotten some chi out to cushion his fall, but from his expression, Trunks didn’t think so. He looked like he was in agony, but whether it was physical pain or psychological from the fear that his baby was hurt, Trunks couldn't tell.

Broly tried to help Vegeta move Piccolo, but Vegeta snapped and bit his hand.

Goku said, “Well now I see where Bulla gets it.”

“Like you don’t bite whenever the opportunity arises, Kakarot! Fuck off, Broly!” Vegeta snarled, but turned into Piccolo’s ear and whispered, “ _Minaiya_ , my heart, are you alright?”

Piccolo took a few deep breaths and nodded. He let Vegeta scoop him up and settle them both on their couch. Vegeta muttered to him in Saiyan and Piccolo murmured something back. Bulma nestled beside him, touching his shoulder, and said, “I’m so sorry, honey. I just didn’t want you to get hurt rumbling with Broly in case he got mate-crazy over Goku. Is the baby okay? Do you want to go do an ultrasound?”

Goku’s eyes lit up at Bulma’s mention of Broly maybe feeling that way over Goku. Goku glanced furtively at Broly, scratching the back of his neck. Broly’s face turned pink and his eyes darted to Goku’s. They smiled at each other shyly and bumped shoulders, but said nothing. Trunks tried to imagine their compound with _three_ couples all getting mate-crazy. And in no time there would probably be a moody, pregnant Goku in the mix. Plus Bulla, who was like a vicious, poorly trained guard dog for her Piccy. It was going to be a fucking shit-show. Trunks sighed.

Piccolo tucked his big body even tighter into Vegeta’s arms and Bulla climbed onto the back of the couch him. She kissed Piccolo’s head, wrapping her little arms around him, still super Saiyan, and said, “Okay, Piccy? Baby okay? I’m sorry I didn’t save you.”

“You’re okay, blueberry. You take good care of me and baby. Come give me a cuddle,” Piccolo said. Trunks worried that his big father’s voice was small and shaky. Piccolo’s eyes looked pained. Goten’s worry was like a reverb in Trunks’s mind.

Bulma tried to talk to him more, but he said quietly, “Just leave it, Bulma,” and snuggled his large body around Vegeta’s. Bulla was perched on both her father’s shoulders where they touched. She looked as terrifying as a super Saiyan two-year-old could. Trunks realized that she was almost three and it made him a little sad how fast she was growing up.

Trunks wrapped an arm around Goten and kissed his shoulder. “You okay, baby?”

Goten turned away from Piccolo to Trunks. He bumped his forehead against Trunks’s and whispered, “I hope he’s okay.”

“He's strong, he’ll be fine. Baby too. Vegeta’s baby is probably just in there making a list of enemies,” Trunks said. It had the intended effect of making Goten smile.

Piccolo’s rumbling laugh reached Trunks. Trunks looked at his father, piled around Vegeta like a big green blanket, and saw that Piccolo had heard him. It made Piccolo laugh, and that was good too. Trunks cheering up Piccolo made the reverb from Goten’s mind shift and become happy. It got even warmer, and more pleasant when Goten nodded toward the couch below theirs to see Goku sneak his hand into Broly’s. The bigger Saiyan laced their fingers together, and Goku scooted closer. Trunks’s worries, for the time being, were mostly subdued.

* * *

The next day, Trunks and a very recalcitrant Vegeta went to the plus size maternity store that Bulma found. Trunks heard Vegeta arguing that he should stay home in case Piccolo needed him after the fall the night before. Piccolo angrily told Vegeta to go do something useful, that his hovering was driving Piccolo crazy. The echo of Goten’s mind that was ever-present in Trunks’s brain settled down once they left, as his mate wanted Piccolo to be able to relax, which was always a challenge when Vegeta was in protective mode.

Once they reached the store, and looked around in bewilderment, Trunks decided that it would be best to buy a variety of things that might fit Goten. Then Goten could choose. Trunks would buy the whole store even if Goten never wore any of it except the one shirt, one time. Trunks wanted desperately to please his mate. He suggested a similar strategy to Vegeta, who only grunted and started moving around the store like he expected Frieza to pop out of a display at any moment.

Trunks watched his angry little father become more and more frantic as he looked through rack after rack. The foolish store attendant tried to help Vegeta and Trunks had to intervene because otherwise he knew things might get bad. Vegeta’s chi started to flare as the woman spoke to him. 

“Papa, why are you freaking out?” Trunks whispered, giving the poor sales clerk a friendly smile, but waving her away.

Vegeta hissed, “I…What am I going to do? None of this will fit him! He’s too fucking tall!”

“Let’s find the stretchiest, sleeveless things, okay? We’ll get the biggest size of those,” Trunks said. He tentatively squeezed Vegeta’s shoulder because he was fairly certain Vegeta was going to start crying. Trunks did not want a crying Vegeta anywhere, but especially not in a maternity store.

Trunks helped him, and together they found a few things to take home for Piccolo. Vegeta was practically twitching with anxiety. Trunks knew that he and Piccolo were still fighting on and off about something, but Trunks didn’t know whether it was Bulla or all the other things he could imagine would piss him off about being mated to Vegeta. He also suspected that Vegeta wasn’t getting laid, because he hadn’t even caught his fathers kissing the past few days outside the fall last night. All of it meant that Vegeta was a hot mess waiting to happen, and Trunks would prefer if it didn't happen while he had custody of his volatile father. His sympathy for Bulma and Piccolo grew daily; being mated to Vegeta seemed like a nightmare.

Arriving back at the compound though, Trunks’s own anxiety blossomed into full terror that Goten wasn’t going to like anything he brought home. Pleasing and caring for his mate was so necessary it was like breathing. Trunks didn’t want the lack of a fucking _outfit_ to ruin the whole elaborately arranged shopping trip. Trunks and Vegeta both stalled out on the front steps of the compound.

Vegeta turned to Trunks and said in a weak voice, “Gods, what if nothing fits? He’s already pissed off about being fat…and…and…” Vegeta set the bags down and ran a hand over his face. “Fuck. Is Goten this…crabby?”

“Papa, shh…Don’t call it that! You know how Dad’s hearing is!” Trunks said. Goten was ridiculously loyal to Piccolo now that they’d spent four months with pretty much only each other for company during the day. If Piccolo was mad, Goten would be mad, and then Trunks would feel even shittier.

“Well! What else could I possibly call it!?” Vegeta whispered.

“Just leave him be. You know he’s been sick for like four months and found out one of his mates super betrayed him, right?”

“Yes. Yes. Good gods. I don’t have to like it, do I? It’s physically painful to have him angry at me so frequently. I know you think I’m…shitty…as a mate, but I’m _trying._ I didn’t know if his moodiness was just…typical…or unique to our situation,” Vegeta said.

Trunks gaped. Was Vegeta actually sort of…confiding…in Trunks? Bonding with him? That had _never_ happened. Trunks said, “Well, Goten’s more sad than angry, but it can turn on a dime. I _never_ say anything without thinking pretty carefully if I can avoid it. He…yeah…he gets mad too. I think it’s just hormones.”

Vegeta nodded forlornly. “I can’t believe my son is going to be a father too,” Vegeta said and a little smile spread on his face. His dark eyes came up off the ground and met Trunks’s. “I’m proud of you, you know, and I should tell you more often. You’re a good mate to Goten. A good son to Piccolo, now that you know what he is to you. To me as well, of course.”

Trunks’s eyes stung. He threw his arms around Vegeta, and Vegeta actually hugged him back without complaining. They separated and Vegeta took a shuddering breath. “Time to face the angry, green music, I suppose.”

Trunks laughed and keyed in the code for the door. Piccolo and Goten were in the main living area each with a laptop on the coffee table. They sat cross-legged and pointed to things on the other’s screen. Trunks was glad that Goten had a buddy to be isolated and pregnant with, as he imagined Goten might be even moodier if he was enduring it alone.

Goten’s eyes lit up and he chirped, “Hey, Daddy!”

Trunks blushed. Despite their daddy kink being very out in the open, it still embarrassed Trunks. Trunks mumbled, “Hey, baby, we did our best, but it’s…it’s pretty slim pickings with the way you two are built.”

Piccolo got up and Trunks worried that he winced as he ran a hand over his bare belly. Trunks thought it looked bruised, but he didn’t want to stare. Piccolo bent and kissed Vegeta, murmuring, “Hey, baby, did you really go shopping? For me?”

“Of course, my heart, but the boy is right, your beautiful broad shoulders mean that I’m…skeptical…about whether anything will work. Let’s see if any of them fit.”

Goten hopped up and kissed Trunks before he said, “Ooo, fashion show!” Sometimes Trunks marveled that he hadn’t known Goten was gay.

The two pregnant men waved Vegeta and Trunks onto the couch as they each pulled a top out of their bags. Goten shrugged on the first tank, a blue and white striped thing that Trunks thought wasn’t overly feminine. Until he noticed now that it had a big, floppy bow on the shoulder. Trunks held his breath. How had he not seen that at the store? He held his breath.

Piccolo looked over as he squashed himself into a black top. He started to chortle at Goten’s bow, fluffing it dramatically as he said, “Oh, my dear, it does make you look a bit portly,” in a high-pitched, British accent.

Goten giggled and spun Piccolo. Vegeta's eyes widened. The whole back of the tank was lace. Vegeta looked to Trunks like maybe Trunks would save him from Piccolo’s wrath.

Goten said, “Ooo, darling, I think this is a bit risqué,” in his own silly, female-sounding voice.

Piccolo craned over his shoulder to see the lace, and his smile broadened until both his fangs showed. The tank barely fit, but it covered Piccolo enough to be considered a shirt. He wiggled his eyebrows at Vegeta, still grinning and said, “What do you think, baby? Is it gonna make you all mate crazy to have me be wearing lingerie? Or did you pick the lacy back on purpose so you could—“

Trunks covered his ears and cried, “Lalalalalala!” Even through his singing he could hear all three of them laughing at him, but he’d already heard too much. When they stopped talking, he uncovered his ears.

Both pregnant men stripped off their first tanks and moved on to the next round. Piccolo’s was a deep red and Vegeta blushed. This one also had a lace panel, but over the chest, so Piccolo’s cleavage was highlighted. Goten whistled dramatically and said, "I dunno, Picc, I think it’s going to be hard to choose. Look how racy Vegeta is! I bet there’s a bunch of lacy bras at the bottom of the bag, maybe a couple thongs?”

Piccolo threw his head back and laughed. Vegeta turned purple and spluttered, “I didn’t know they had _lace_! I don’t shop for clothing! And this is why!”

Neither of the pregnant duo minded Vegeta’s indignation at all. Trunks marveled that both pregnant men were so jovial about the meager things Trunks and Vegeta had brought home. He and Vegeta exchanged a wide-eyed glance of potential exoneration. Goten’s tank was a pretty plain, forest green thing with ruched fabric to cover his belly. He looked down and then to Piccolo and said, “Kinda boring, but it would work, huh?”

“I like the one with the bow better. Like a little sailor, since you got knocked up on a boat,” Piccolo said, chuckling more.

Trunks felt his own cheeks heat at that statement. Goten and Piccolo tried on everything in their respective bags and then chattered happily about which they would wear for the big day. Trunks and Vegeta sat motionless and silent. Trunks knew that Vegeta likely felt as he did: that somehow they had escaped wrath and found joy. That one misstep might ruin it. So they were frozen.

Eventually Goten settled on the first top with the stripes and the bow, and Piccolo went with the red lacy one because he said he liked how much Vegeta blushed when he wore it. Trunks considered offering to take the other shirts back, but decided that was uncharted, potentially dangerous territory that it was unnecessary to explore. Trunks eased off the couch and said, “Should I take them all back to our room, baby?”

Goten gave him a saucy little smirk and said, “You could take _me_ back to our room too.”

A helpless, huge grin spread on his face and he said, “Yeah, come on, baby,” as he held out his hand for Goten. He picked up the bag, and then started to sprint out of the room as Piccolo climbed on the couch astride Vegeta. “Yuck!” Trunks shouted, and Goten giggled. At least his disgust at his fathers’ penchant for PDA made his mate laugh.

Trunks’s dreams of giving, and maybe getting, a nice afternoon blowjob were shattered as they turned down the corridor to their apartment and ran into Goku. Trunks considered just knocking him out and sprinting onward, but Goten yanked Trunks to a halt.

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Goten asked, because Goku looked very distressed. Overdressed too. He had on a button-down shirt. Trunks didn’t think he’d ever seen Goku in a button down. 

Goku’s eyes darted to Trunks and away and he said, “Um, hey, Goten, can I…can I talk to you alone?”

“Dad, Trunks and I are pretty mentally connected, he’s going to know right away, and even if we weren’t, I’m going to tell him.”

Goku scratched the back of his neck and said, “I’m just…Well…I don’t know. Okay. It’s just that…you know me ’n your mom are getting divorced…but…it…I guess the law says you have to wait a year, so even though we’ve got everything ready to go, we can’t…we can’t yet. And I, well, it’s just, so, the thing is—“

“Dad…did you and Broly kiss or something?” Goten said and gave Goku a playful swat on the shoulder.

Goku flushed purple, but a little smile spread on his face. He said, “Well…yeah…a while ago…”

“A while! Jeez, Dad, he’s only been here like a week, you wild playboy!”

Goku’s face created a new shade of purple and he chuckled and said, “Oh, well, I mean…yeah…but…we knew each other…is that…is that fast to kiss?”

Trunks felt a little sorry for the older man, who must’ve been almost fifty, seeming so naïve about sex. Goten seemed to realize how stressed his dad was and said, “No, of course not. That’s fine. You can do whatever you want and whatever pace you want. I was just surprised is all.” Goten shrugged and started to move past Goku.

Goku’s arm snapped out and took hold of Goten. Trunks growled and lunged, but Goku dodged and said, “Jeez, you guys are all biters! Don't bite me, Trunks! I…I wasn’t done talking to you, Goten.”

“Oh, sorry, Dad, I thought you were just worried about kissing Broly while you were still married to Mom.”

“No! I mean, yeah, sorta…I guess? I’ve been feeling pretty mixed up because I never felt anything like this with Chi. It’s just…I…well…it…it was like we didn’t really have a lot of control, and I was on fire, and he was on fire, and there just…there just wasn’t any way to stop it, except…well…I…just…oh jeez. I just don’t know if I should feel bad?” Goku’s shade of purple continued to create new hues.

Goten blinked for a moment. He blushed and whispered, “Dad! For fuck’s sake, did you _mate_ with Broly?!”

“Well! I didn’t mean to!” Goku said and pulled his collar aside, revealing a fresh, bloodied bite mark on the place where his shoulder joined his neck. “But now I don’t know what to do, or if I should tell your mom, and Broly got a little…little…I think…I think he got a little _mate-crazy_ when I said I was worried about Chi. I…I…I love him, of course, but boy, things, they, uh, they progressed fast. And it’s weird to feel so… _strong…_ about stuff.”

“Yeah, that seems to be kind of the thing about claims. I can’t believe he already claimed you,” Goten said, “I don’t think you need to worry about Mom, though, if you guys were agreed about getting a divorce anyway. You can tell her, but you’re not…obligated.”

“She said she never wants to see me again, especially with a tail. Broly’s glad his tail came back with the wish too. And it’s great that he has a tail, because…well…you guys must know, right? You know about tails? Like how they—“

“Dad! Yes! Fuck! Stop. We know about tails. Okay, congrats on…mating,” Goten said and clearly hoped they could escape any further discussion of Goku’s sex life.

“He’s a great mate. He’s so powerful, our kids are gonna be crazy strong!” Goku said and his flush finally started to die down as his excitement shone through.

Goten’s mouth fell open and he stammered, “Are…did…oh…gross! Are you _pregnant_?”

Goku looked concerned and said, “I think so? But I don’t know. How do you know?”

“You just know,” Goten said, “Did it…oh, just, so fucking gross, ew, did it feel, um, extra, extra good when he…oh man, I can’t even say it…” Goten trailed off and looked more green than red.

Trunks said, “Did it feel super good when he came inside you?”

Goten squawked and covered his ears. Goku looked confused and said, “Yeah, the time he claimed me it felt way, way better. Like, wow, like I didn’t really know what all the fuss about sex was until Broly, but _now_ I see. Now I get why your dads are always pawing at each other. You guys too.”

“Goku, where’s Broly now?”

“Huh? Oh, uh…he…he’s…” Goku’s eyes widened and then narrowed into a terrifying glare. “He’s near Vegeta and Piccolo. I need to go, right now.”

“Oh shit, do you have the mate-crazies?” Trunks asked.

But Goku launched in the direction of all three other men without answering. Trunks groaned unhappily. “Shit. I knew three sets of mate-crazies was just gonna get stupid. Come on, ‘Ten.”

“Can I go take a nap, Daddy? I don’t feel up to seeing my dad and his _mate_ right now. Well that’s just fucking weird to even say,” Goten said and stuck his tongue out like the word tasted bad.

“Sure, baby,” Trunks said and took off after Goku.

He found Broly trying to soothe Goku without fucking him, which Trunks knew was probably just a waste of effort. It was just as well Goten hadn’t come. Not that Trunks wanted to be there, since both his fathers were holding couch cushions over their dicks, but were otherwise naked. Trunks said, “Gross, you two, on the _family_ couch? Broly, just go…take care of him. You know? You know how to end this?”

“I know how he took care of mine,” Broly said with a big eyebrow wiggle. He wrapped his arm around Goku and said, “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go back to our rooms, yeah?”

Goku let himself be led away, but he snarled at Vegeta and Piccolo, “Stay the _fuck_ away from my mate!”

Trunks, Vegeta, and Piccolo all looked between one another and started cracking up. Piccolo chortled out, “I didn’t know Goku knew that word!”

They all hooted a bit more, but Trunks didn’t want to linger and find out if his fathers were going to return to their vile nonsense on the couch. He sprinted back to his own mate, hoping maybe he could catch Goten before he fell asleep.


	25. Tub Time

Trunks dashed into their apartment, but Goten wasn’t in the bed or on the couch, his two napping spots. Trunks followed his chi to the bathroom and found him laying in the big tub, letting the steaming water rise around him. He smiled and said, “Hey Daddy, that didn’t take long…you gonna join me?”

Trunks didn’t bother to answer as he shucked off his clothes and slid into the almost too hot water. He faced Goten and put his hands on either side of Goten’s belly. The baby hit both simultaneously and they both laughed.

Goten said, “He’s so strong already, it’s crazy.” Goten pushed himself up and closer to Trunks and touched Trunks’s jaw, urging him forward. “Come here.”

“My pleasure, baby. Gods, you are so fucking sexy. How are you feeling today? You seemed less uncomfortable, but maybe I was just distracted by Vegeta trying not to have a meltdown while shopping.”

Goten giggled against Trunks’s lips as they kissed. Goten opened his mouth and plunged his tongue into Trunks’s mouth. Trunks put his hands on either edge of the bath so he could kiss Goten back into a reclining position. He didn't want to cause his mate any discomfort with his desire. “Baby, I need you so badly…I don’t know what we’re gonna do once the baby's born and we can’t fuck constantly.”

“We’ll just be like your dads and do it anyway,” Goten said, grinning.

“Yuck! We’ll be like your dad and his _mate_ ,” Trunks said, glad to have a bit of turnabout.

“Yuck is right. We may have to have a ‘no mention of any dads except my Daddy when we’re naked’ rule. I totally regret how much I’ve made fun of you, because ew. Just ew. No more. Just kiss me and touch me, and I’m gonna touch you, okay, Daddy?”

“That sounds perfect,” Trunks said and used his fingers to circle Goten’s nipple. Lately Goten’s nipples had been extra sensitive, but they also seemed to have extra loud reverb in Trunks’s mind, so much that playing with Goten’s nipples almost felt like masturbation.

Goten wrapped one hand around Trunks’s prick, but he clutched Trunks’s ass with his other and urged him farther forward until he could rub his prick on Goten’s firm belly. Goten chortled as Trunks ground on it experimentally. “Instead of titty-fucking, you get belly-fucking,” he whispered, and his hand slid over Trunks’s hip and into his cleft. He dragged his fingers up and down over Trunks’s pucker. “So tight, Daddy. Mmm…I might just finger you till you come all over my belly, what do you think about that?”

“Fuck, I think I need that, baby,” Trunks dropped his head more to deepen their kiss. Goten let go of Trunks’s dick so he could really use the friction of Goten’s taut stomach to rub the underside. All Goten’s fingers were in Trunks’s crack and Trunks moaned as Goten started massaging his bud with a finger from each hand. “Gods, baby, are you gonna finger me with both hands?”

“I’ve never done that, have I?” Goten purred.

“No, I don’t think so, and now I want you to do it,” Trunks said and kissed his beautiful mate more. The water was almost up to the top of Goten’s belly now, but their tub was big and deep, so they could still let it fill more.

Goten groaned and said, “Daddy, but my poor cock won’t get anything like this and I’m so fucking horny.”

“That’s good because I want to suck your dick. I’ve been thinking about it all day,” Trunks murmured against his mate’s neck as he kissed down to Goten’s claim. He sucked the pretty scar before it slipped under the water. Goten writhed beneath him.

Goten’s fingers alternated going inside Trunks just a tiny bit, left, then right, then left again, pulling him, stretching him, opening him. It was making Trunks’s cock twitch. Goten said, “Turn the water off, Daddy, I want to watch how much pre-cum is coming out of you.”

Trunks paused from touching his mate just long enough to twist both faucet handles. He tightened his ass to add pressure to his cock, but Goten resisted his flexing and drove two fingers into him at the same time, not as deep as he could, but since they were from opposite hands, it opened him up more than two fingers from the same hand did. Trunks mastered his orgasm and kept his hazy gaze on his mate’s eyes. “‘Ten, gods, that feels so good.”

Goten said nothing but kissed Trunks more as he changed his position to be able to reach more easily. Now that he’d started penetrating Trunks, he panted and his fingers moved fast and deep, plunging up to the second knuckle. He gasped, “More okay, Daddy?”

“Yeah, oh gods, I’m so wet for you, baby,” Trunks said.

Goten moaned, slinking his tongue into Trunks’s mouth as he added a finger on each side. Trunks felt full, still not as big as Goten’s cock, but such a different shape that he had to focus more to consciously relax. Goten broke the kiss and whispered, “Your ass, Daddy, is so fucking hot. So fucking tight. I love fingering you just to feel you twitch and tremble for me. I haven’t even hit your spot and your cock is just going crazy on me. I love it. I love how I turn you on, even when I look like a whale.”

“You don’t look like a whale, you look beautiful. Perfect. Sexy,” Trunks gasped. “Deeper, baby, go deeper, please, hit my spot.”

“I don’t want you to come yet, Daddy. You’ll hold back for me? You’ll wait? I want to keep feeling you. But I’ll touch your spot if you promise you won’t come right away. You have to wait until I tell you, okay?”

Trunks nodded and searched Goten’s eyes. Trunks always liked when Goten got a little bossy. Trunks liked dominating Goten too, and once Goten wasn’t pregnant, Trunks thought it might be fun to dominate him a little more aggressively. To be dominated more forcefully too.

Goten panted out, “Fuck yeah, Daddy. Look how hard your cock is. Your ass is so tight on my fingers, gods, maybe I won’t need a blowjob because I’ll come just thinking about my prick in you.” Goten’s fingers went deeper and he brushed Trunks’s spot. A nudge, more sure, with all four fingers. More pressure and Goten groaned, “There it is, Daddy. You like that?”

“Gods, yes, baby, harder!” Trunks breathed.

“Nuh-uh, because you’ll come if I do it harder and I like fingering your tight ass when you’re so wet for me.”

“I won’t come. Not until you say. You can…” Trunks swallowed, a little nervous, but they’d been playing with bigger toys so he thought it would be okay, “You can add another. Push harder. I’ll be good, baby. I’ll behave. I love feeling you inside me so much.”

Goten’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but Trunks felt his mate’s startled pleasure at Trunks’s words. Goten pulled his fingers out entirely and purred, “It’s gonna be a lot, Daddy. It’s gonna be tight. It might hurt a little. But then I’ll make you feel so good.”

“Please, baby, I want it,” Trunks pleaded.

Goten grinned at him and kissed him, his tongue voracious as it ran along the length of Trunks’s tongue. He sucked Trunks’s tongue a little, and Trunks groaned. He moved his belly a little so it rubbed Trunks’s prick. Holding back his climax was its own blissful pleasure.

Three fingers from each of Goten’s hands pressed against Trunk’s pucker, massaging him, and Goten kissed down his chin onto his jaw. He sucked over to Trunks’s ear and nibbled the lobe. His tongue curled inside Trunks’s ear for a moment before he breathed, “Daddy, oh my gods, you are so wet. It’s the wettest you’ve ever been for me. You know if you can take my fingers like this, it probably means I could fist you. Not yet, but soon. Yeah?”

Goten’s words made Trunks shiver and six fingers pushed into Trunks’s opening, the first fingers in pulling him open more and spreading him to even get all six inside him the tiniest bit. Trunks’s whimpered and Goten paused. “You okay, Daddy?”

“Oh gods, yes, don’t stop. That was a ‘so good’ noise, not a pain noise. ‘Ten, you’re fucking amazing, my mate.”

Goten grinned into another deep kiss and said, “You might have to do this to me, because I’m getting it in my head it feels so good to you, that I bet it would feel really good for you to do it to me.”

“Oh gods, ‘Ten, even if we weren’t connected like that, I’d do it for you because I want to touch you like this. I want to make you feel good like this,” Trunks gasped, shifting to open his ass more for his mate, to make it easier for Goten to reach inside his core.

Goten’s fingers delved deeper, reaching the second knuckle and pulsing. Trunks was so wet that it was getting more on Goten’s hands making it easier for him to push more length inside Trunks. The pressure was a lot and Trunks had to breathe carefully to keep himself from tensing up.

“You’re doing such a good job for your baby, Daddy. You feel how you’re taking me?”

“Yes, oh gods, yes,” Trunks breathed.

Goten urged Trunks forward and said, “A little closer, Daddy. I want to be able to really thrust once I’m all the way in. I’m going to make you come so hard.”

Trunks no longer had the ability to speak as Goten finished plunging into Trunks, all six fingers, his curled up pinkies pressing hard against Trunk’s stretched, taut ring of muscle. Goten pulsed his fingers inside Trunks, but he also bent and straightened all of them, pressing outward with the tips and the sensation was so novel, that Trunks couldn’t stop the constant stream of breathy cries escaping him.

“I’m gonna twist my hands, Daddy, so I can really hit your spot. But you don’t get to come until I tell you to come, right?”

“Right, baby. I’ll be good for you. I love you so much, ‘Ten. You make me so happy. You make me feel so fucking good.”

Goten’s smile made Trunks’s heart melt and it took all his strength and willpower not to free his orgasm right then. Goten sat up a little and rotated his hands so the tips could press up and down when he wiggled them.

“Oh fuck, ‘Ten!” Trunks shouted, surprised at how immediate and fantastic the pressure on his prostate was. Fluid spilled out of his slit, rolling down Goten’s belly in milky beads. “Oh fuck. Oh gods. Oh shit. I’m…I’m good. I’ll be good, baby,” Trunks gasped out, trembling now as he held himself back.

“That’s right, Daddy. You take my fingers. You’re going to be good and hold on, because I’m going to work your prostate until I run you dry and then you are going to come and it’s going to feel fucking amazing.” Goten’s eyes were riveted to the liquid that kept pouring out of Trunks as he massaged Trunks’s prostate. 

Trunks nodded, his forehead dropping against his mate’s. Goten kissed the tip of his nose and started practically vibrating his fingers on Trunks’s p-spot. Goten leaned back, no longer kissing Trunks, just watching his face and his cock alternately, all with a smug smile. Trunks threw his head back and tried to breathe through how badly he needed to come. 

“You’re beautiful like this, Daddy. I love watching you pant and shake and sweat. Your core is just trembling on me and it’s so hot. Can I fuck you? After you come? Can I just fuck you bent over the side of the tub, Daddy? I want to feel how crazy tight you’ll get once you come after so much buildup.”

“Yes, fuck, yes, oh gods, ‘Ten. You might have to fuck me all night. Can you…can you pull out though? I’m so wet that I’m worried about getting pregnant,” Trunks said, and thinking about that helped him delay his orgasm. Still more pre-cum and prostate fluid dripped out of him onto his mate’s belly. “‘Ten, fuck, look what you’re doing to me.”

Goten’s face slackened as he got more and more turned on too and Trunks wondered if he could come purely from what transferred through their light telepathy. Goten’s eyelids lowered and he smiled again. “That is a possibility, Daddy, but I’m not going to. I’m gonna hold on so I can fuck you so hard.”

Goten’s fingers drove deeper somehow and the external pressure of Goten’s pinky tight against his taint was amazing too. The pulsing became thrusting and Goten’s hands slapped against Trunks’s ass. Trunks’s braced himself harder so he didn’t topple forward.

Goten growled, “Come for me, Daddy. Come all over me and then I’m going to fuck you so hard. Yeah?”

Trunks wailed, nodding, and reared back as a remarkable amount of cum coated Goten’s big belly, his neck, his chin, adding to everything Goten had already milked out of him. “Fuck, baby! Yes! Oh fuck!” The pleasure that tore through Trunks was so intense it bordered on pain. His whole core clenched and seized. Trunks trembled and groaned.

Goten hurriedly, but smoothly, withdrew his fingers. Trunks almost collapsed down onto Goten from how hollow he felt, and not just physically. He spun to the side, putting his ass toward Goten as he moved to kneel in the water. Goten’s belly rested on his back and his cock drove into Trunks so hard that tears filled his eyes, but they were tears of relief at having his mate fill him again. He dreaded Goten pulling out of him, but he knew it was necessary.

“I’ll cum and clean my cock off and then I’ll go back in, okay, Daddy? Yeah? You need a little come down time?”

“Yes, oh gods, baby, you take such good care of me. Fuck me so hard. I love feeling your belly against me. I love how fertile you are, my mate. I love it.”

“You’re such a good mate, Trunks. Thank you for taking care of me. I love you,” Goten breathed. Trunks looked over his shoulder as Goten’s belly brushed his back less as he fucked Trunks harder.

Goten was arching back in a half-bridge, using the other side of the bathtub to brace himself. It gave him something to push against, but it also lifted his belly up out of the way. He fucked Trunks frantically. “Daddy, oh fuck, Daddy, I’m so close. I’m…I’m so close. Fuck. I didn’t…Oh gods. I want to come inside you so bad. Fuck. Fuck,” Goten yanked himself out of Trunks, a fountain of cum splattering his belly, Trunks’s ass, and their thighs, dropping into the water that hadn’t sloshed out.

Goten cleaned his cock, stroking himself to get the last of his seed out as he moaned, staring at Trunks’s ass. “You’re gaping for me, Daddy. Holy shit. So hot.”

“Please, baby, please put your prick back inside me. I need you. I need you inside me,” Trunks’s head fell on his forearms.

Goten slid inside him slowly and gently this time. “Daddy…your ass…oh gods. I’ll never have enough of fucking you. You’re perfect.”

Goten pulsed inside Trunks for a long time until they both moved more. “Baby…I…oh gods…you’re gonna make me come again.”

“Yeah…yeah, I want you to come on my cock, Daddy.”

Trunks whimpered as a tamer, more manageable orgasm wracked him. Between his first climax and Goten’s enormous orgasm, Trunks was wiped out, so it was the perfect come down.

“I…I have to pull out, Daddy, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good, ‘Ten. I want to watch you come again,” Trunks murmured and as soon as Goten withdrew, Trunks slumped into the cum-clotted water and helped his mate stroke himself to completion, filling the tub with even more of his seed.

Trunks, despite his exhaustion, pulled the plug, scooped Goten up and carried him into the shower to clean the cum off both of them. Goten leaned into him and sighed. “That was fucking incredible. Thanks for shopping for me, Daddy. And helping Vegeta shop for Piccolo. You know Vegeta couldn’t have done that alone.”

“Is Piccolo okay after the fall? And the baby?”

“He’s sore, but his baby was feisty as ever today, so he thinks since it’s Vegeta’s baby that you were probably right. You really cheered him up when you said that. Vegeta and Bulma are driving him crazy with their worries and nagging, so I’m glad you’re not being a shit anymore.”

“Jeez, baby, I didn’t think I’d been a shit for a while.”

“No, you’ve been good. Gods,” Goten said as they stepped out and dried off. Trunks carried his mate to bed, making Goten chuckle. “I’ll allow you to be crazy because I am really tired. I can’t believe my _dad_ , like, Goku, fucking _Goku_ , mated with Broly in a week. How you put that together, I’ll never know. Like I still don’t even know how Gohan and I exist, except that my dad probably had wet dreams and my mom is a waste not, want not kinda lady.”

“Gross!” Trunks squawked.

Goten cackled and pulled Trunks around him in the bed. “I’m so excited for our shopping trip. And Piccolo is too. It’ll be good for him to get out of here. He’s like full PTSD flash-backing to Vegeta leaving him. It’s not good. He’s had a rough few weeks.”

“I can’t even imagine, baby. I don’t even know _how_. I don’t think any amount of mad could keep me away from you for a night, let alone a _year_. Poor Piccolo. That must have been so hard.”

“Oh shit. And my dad is gonna have a baby. That means _three_ of us are gonna be pregnant on the compound.”

“Hey, maybe Broly and Goku can help Piccolo through labor, like…like a trial run?”

“Maybe, but I can’t see Vegeta handling that very well,” Goten said and nestled into Trunks’s arms more. “Sorry, Daddy, I’m so tired, I need sleep.”

“Yeah, baby, you do. I love you.”

“Love you, Daddy.”

Trunks relaxed, his mate having fucked him so thoroughly that not even his ever-proliferating worries could keep him awake. The big shopping trip loomed in Trunks’s mind, but he couldn’t even hold on to that anxiety as he slipped into dreamless, deep slumber.


	26. The Shopping Trip

The day of the shopping trip arrived and Bulma and Vegeta and Trunks plotted logistics. Krillin, Gohan, Tien, Yamcha, and Android 18 were all brought on board to help watch. 18, Vegeta and Trunks felt confident, could provide actual security, maybe Gohan, though he hardly trained anymore, so Trunks had little faith in his fighting abilities. The others were purely eyes. They were to alert Goku, Broly, or 18 by flaring their chi if anything suspicious happened.

On a cognitive level, both Vegeta and Trunks could discuss how there really wasn’t any danger present at the store that might not materialize any day around the compound. They could talk it out over and over. And five minutes later they’d both be hyperventilating with red-glazed eyes swearing to eat the entrails of anyone who even said their mates’ names. Trunks didn’t _want_ to be mate-crazy. He didn’t want to be irrational. He didn’t want to be like Vegeta. But he was all three because his Saiyan hormones demanded slavish worship to them, not logic.

Bulma was driving them to the store in the hover-car because Vegeta nixed flying in the open in case anyone spotted Piccolo. Vegeta fussed over Piccolo’s belly even more since the fall. Vegeta feared another so much that he barely let Piccolo out of his sight now that Goku was pregnant and Broly wouldn’t let him train. Goku’s mate-crazies were trigger happy, so Broly basically couldn’t even acknowledge anyone when he wasn’t also touching Goku. Trunks hoped that Goku would settle down after the first few days. Trunks hadn’t imagined anyone could possibly be more annoying than Vegeta about his mate, but Goku, as always, had to surpass Vegeta.

Trunks and Vegeta fidgeted near the front door waiting for their mates. Goku and Broly waited outside because Goku was getting worked up again. Vegeta grumbled, “This is a fucking terrible idea! We should just go. We got their clothing, didn’t we!?” Vegeta crossed his arms so tightly they were probably numb.

“Papa, you know they just want to get out. Let’s let them have fun, okay? Keep the crazies down for them, right?”

“Yes. Yes. Of course. I’ll do anything to make sure he’s happy. Because he’s very stressed. It…It’s awful,” Vegeta croaked and Trunks looked askance at his smaller father. Vegeta was on the brink of tears.

“Hey, whoa, don’t do that! Not right now! Come on, pull yourself together, Papa. What’s awful?”

“How angry he gets. He’s…Never mind. I shouldn’t talk to my son about this. His son.”

“You know it’s okay to talk to your kids, right? Like…it’s pretty normal. ‘Ten said that Dad’s having some stress about you leaving? Like flashbacks almost.”

Vegeta’s mouth fell open and his eyes widened and he stammered, “He…what?! Why!? No! I…I would never do that again!”

Trunks breathed, “Oh fuck…”

“Is…is that why he’s so…testy…with me? He thinks I’m going to _leave_?”

“Papa, you can’t say anything or he’ll get mad at Goten for telling me, and can you imagine if they don’t at least have each other to talk to and hang out with? Can you _imagine_? They’re so…um…you know…as is!”

Vegeta nodded very, very slowly and said, “No. You’re right. But…I…hmm…well…it’s good to know. Thank you, boy. I can perhaps find ways to reassure him so he is less…anxious. Fuck. What I wouldn’t give to go back.”

Before Trunks could comment on the fact that his father had also left _Trunks_ , Goten and Piccolo waddled down the hallway, bedecked in their maternity frippery. Piccolo’s jeans were fastened with some kind of elastic thing that Vegeta found online. Trunks was actually proud of his sperm-father for finally doing something _useful_ for his love-father. It was strange to see both Goten and Piccolo’s big, muscular, cut arms, attached to their very round, large bellies. Trunks was relieved that Bulma found a way to have their shopping trip be secret. There was simply no other conclusion to be drawn from their appearance: both men just looked _pregnant_.

The two pregnant men were giddy, huge grins on both their faces as they talked about wood types and crib styles and finishes, bassinets and rocking chairs. Trunks and Vegeta stood stiffly at the ready. Ready for what, Trunks had no clue, but he would do whatever Goten needed to be happy. Right now, Goten seemed to need to chatter with Piccolo about furniture, and that was fine. Vegeta’s face looked like he was holding in a particularly large fart and Trunks started to chortle at the thought. Vegeta’s eyes cut to him and Trunks swallowed his laughter. Trunks’s sperm-father was clearly on the brink of losing his shit yet again, and Trunks needed that not to happen either.

Trunks murmured, “Papa, settle the fuck down. Don’t ruin this for him. This is what he wants. Do what your mate wants.”

“I’m worried after the fall. What if he trips in the store—“

“Do you fucking hear yourself? You can’t keep Dad from _walking_ for the rest of his pregnancy. Use your fucking Saiyan reflexes and catch him if he trips. Mom won’t be there to airhorn you guys—“

“She’s coming with us!” Vegeta hissed.

“Oh…well…Fine, just…Just settle down. Don’t fuck this up for him, because if you ruin it for Dad, it will ruin it for ‘Ten, and then _I_ will ruin you. We clear?”

Vegeta scowled and moved toward Piccolo. Sadness and worry and anger all flickered across Piccolo’s features, but he forced a big, fanged smile and bent to kiss Vegeta. Trunks stifled his urge to complain loudly about his fathers’ PDA because Goten looked all gooey as he watched Vegeta and Piccolo’s fingers twine together as they pulled out of a relatively tame kiss. Trunks supposed it was a win when he didn’t have to be reminded of either of his fathers’ dicks’ existences.

Trunks hugged Goten and buried his face in the top of Goten’s pecs that showed thanks to the low-cut top. “So sexy, baby,” he whispered against his mate’s skin.

Goten chuckled and said, “And you grump about their PDA, Daddy.” Their tails slinked over one another. Trunks still got turned on by Goten’s tail touching him, but it also brought him such comfort and ease. Just being touched by the velvety warmth of Goten’s pretty tail felt like an affectionate hug.

Bulma snapped a picture of him and Goten, then Vegeta and Piccolo. She insisted they all get together in different configurations. Bulla flew from place to place. Broly and Goku were forced to come in for a few pictures. They all migrated outside and Bulma took more pictures with their many guards.

“Good gods, woman, can we get this disaster started?” Vegeta complained.

“This is as close to a baby shower as Piccolo and Goten are likely to get, so I want the babies to know that we celebrated somehow,” Bulma said, flaring a nostril at Vegeta.

Goten’s face collapsed and he squeaked, “We don’t get to have a baby shower?”

Trunks’s mate-crazies teetered on the edge of full-fledged flight. “Of course you’ll have a shower, baby. Right, Papa? We’ll throw them a shower—“

“But a friend is supposed to throw the shower!” Goten cried.

Marron, who was on deck to babysit an enraged Bulla while they shopped, cut in, “Silly Trunks, did you forget that I told you I was going to throw the shower?” She widened her eyes at Trunks.

He nodded and spluttered, “Oh, yeah, right, I…yeah…you…you and your…mom? Because Dad’s friends with 18, and she…wants to do that?”

Trunks wanted to kiss 18 and thought Vegeta should too as she said, “Yeah, obviously. Marron and I throw a bitchin’ party. Gods, we would never leave a baby shower up to you and _Vegeta_. That would be a disaster.” 18 shocked Trunks even more by winking at him. 

Vegeta gaped and his head swung from Marron to 18 to Trunks and landed on Piccolo, his eyebrows crumpling up in a little hopeful pile in the middle. Piccolo looked more surprised than Vegeta. He breathed, “Seriously? You guys are gonna throw us a shower? A real baby shower? Even though we’re dudes?”

“I mean, I’m a fucking android and you came to my shower. Of course we’re throwing you a shower. We’ll coordinate with Bulma and Trunks though, not Vegeta, if it’s all the same to you, Picc,” 18 said amiably, like she really had been planning a shower all along. Trunks admired the ease with which she benevolently lied.

Piccolo nodded and turned his big, surprised half-smile on Vegeta. “Did you know about this, baby?”

Vegeta’s eyes darted to 18, who gave him a wink too, and Vegeta stammered, “I…well…yes…she…I’m bad at parties…Yes, though, it…it makes you happy?”

Piccolo’s face softened at Vegeta’s pathetic, but hopeful, expression. Vegeta was so openly aching to please his mate that even Trunks felt a little sorry for his sperm-father, and Trunks tended to enjoy Vegeta’s suffering. Piccolo squished Vegeta against his side and twisted to kiss him.

Bulma clicked off a few more pictures and said, “Okay, we better get going.”

Amidst the hullabaloo of everyone loading into the hover-car, Trunks heard Piccolo murmur to Vegeta, “Thanks, baby, that’s so sweet that you did that.”

Bulla leapt onto Piccolo’s shoulders and said, “I like your pretty shirt, Piccy!”

“Thanks, blueberry, but you’re staying home, okay? I know you want to go, but you’re gonna stay and play with Pan, okay?”

“No! Who will keep you _safe_!?” Bulla shrieked with such sincerity and desperation that Piccolo's face wavered. Trunks willed his bigger father to not fall prey to Bulla’s big blue eyes.

Vegeta tippy-toed to pull Bulla off Piccolo’s shoulders and he said, “Princess, you must keep the house safe in case of invaders while we’re out. I will keep Piccy safe, but everyone here is going with us to keep Piccy safe too. We’ll be home soon. It won’t take us long.”

Bulla, after much caterwauling and complaining, agreed to stay with Marron, Videl, and Pan, with the hope that Videl and Marron combined could contain her if she got too out of hand.

The hover-car ride felt eternal because of Vegeta’s anxiety, which was thick enough that Trunks could practically smell it. Trunks threw a sharp elbow into Vegeta’s side. “Settle the fuck down.”

“Yes. Fine. I’m fine,” Vegeta said, and his arms tightened across his chest.

They landed on the roof of the large department store that specialized in all things baby. Both Goten and Piccolo decided to completely outfit their nurseries in one trip because they both agreed, along with Trunks and Bulma, that Vegeta would have a stroke if they did another trip out. As everyone piled out of the car, Vegeta howled like a wounded hound.

“What!? What, baby?” Piccolo said, his face collapsing into terror, but Trunks thought he saw a flash of irritation.

Vegeta’s chest heaved for breath, “We need a _tactical_ plan for getting them inside without anyone seeing them! You are all being too _lax_!”

Piccolo pulled himself up to his full height, towering over Vegeta and slowly crossed his arms above his big belly. “You are not going to fuck this up for me. We are on the godsdamned _roof_! We don’t need a plan, we need to walk through the door they agreed to leave open. It is thirty feet away. _Thirty fucking feet_! Where was _this_ concern when you fucking _left_ me!?” Piccolo shoved Vegeta hard and Vegeta was completely caught off guard, so he sprawled across the floor of the hover-car.

Piccolo stormed out of the car and across the roof completely unguarded thanks to everyone’s shock. Vegeta touched his fingers to his forehead and reappeared next to Piccolo who strutted through the emergency exit on the roof, and snapped Vegeta’s hand off his arm. Even dodging away from Vegeta’s tail. 

Trunks said, “Let’s go, baby. I’m with you. Come on, Mom. Let’s catch up. Piccolo probably needs some sanity around him.”

Bulma nodded, but when Trunks saw her face, his mother looked older than she ever had to him. Her skin was sallow and dry, bags visible under her eyes, and her lipstick wasn’t perfect. Bulma’s lipstick was always perfect. It startled Trunks. The three of them hurried across the roof as Broly coordinated the likely completely unnecessary team of guards.

They caught up with Vegeta and Piccolo and Trunks whispered to Goten, “Can you take Dad and get started? I’m gonna have a little pep talk with Papa.”

“Sure, Daddy,” Goten strode ahead of Trunks and said cheerfully to Piccolo, “Hey, you wanna do bassinets first? They’re on this floor, and so are changing tables.”

Trunks snuck up on Vegeta at the same time and said, “Hey, Papa, let’s hang back and let the men in charge do their thing, right?”

Vegeta’s eyes met Trunks’s and it was clear to Trunks that Vegeta didn’t know what to do. Trunks knew he couldn’t whisper, not in a way that Piccolo wouldn’t hear, so he widened his eyes emphatically and mouthed, _You’re fucking up hard_!

Vegeta’s head snapped back to Piccolo who was already strolling away with Goten, talking happily and very, very deliberately ignoring Vegeta. Trunks held Vegeta’s elbow and slowed their pace. “It’s gonna be okay, Papa. There’s so many people guarding the exterior. And we’d smell any intruders, right? You definitely would, you smell everything.”

Vegeta nodded, but he looked so lost as his eyes followed Piccolo. His face collapsed and tears filled his eyes. “I…I don’t know how to fix it. I…he…but…I…” Vegeta’s lip trembled.

Trunks hissed, “You can start by not fucking today up any more! Stop it! Right this minute! You don’t get to do this! Buck the fuck up!”

Vegeta’s eyes widened, but he hurriedly swiped at his tears and snarled, “Don’t talk to me like that, boy!”

“Then act like a fucking adult!”

“You insolent—“

“Vegeta, shut your mouth right now. Trunks is trying to help you, sacrificing his time with his own mate to help you be less of a pain in the ass for everyone around you. Stop being a pain in everyone’s ass!”

“Woman, if I wanted your fucking opinion—“

“Nope. Nope. Nope. You want him to stop being angry? Stop making everything worse for him! You make him sicker with the force-feeding, you make him more tired with how hover-y you are, you make him sadder because you’re so fucking _insecure_ , that you make him question your fidelity, Papa!”

“What!? I would never _cheat_ on my fucking _mate_!” Vegeta bit out in a tiny voice.

“Not that kind of fidelity, you fucking dumbass—“

“Trunks! He’s still your father, even if he is the hottest mess on the planet right now,” Bulma chided. 

Trunks rolled his eyes. “Fine. Papa, I meant that you won’t leave him again. That’s what he’s stressed about. That’s what he’ll be stressed about—“

“He’s stressed about everything. He’s fucking fifty having a baby. He’s been barren his whole fucking life, and he’s scared that it's too good to be true! Stop telling _me_ how _my_ mate feels! I know he and Goten bond quite a lot and are very…very…very…” Vegeta’s eyes started to turn.

Trunks slapped him as hard as he could. The sound rang out in the department store. Piccolo and Goten jumped and spun in sync. Vegeta, likely never imagining such a thing, had his face turned from the blow. Trunks wondered if he’d just tied his own noose. But he didn’t care. He couldn’t allow Vegeta to succumb to baseless mate-crazies on their trip. Because then Trunks would get crazies. And then the airhorn. Awful things might happen.

Piccolo calmly walked back and his face softened again. He wrapped his arm around Vegeta’s shoulders and said, “Come on, baby.” Piccolo glanced over a big shoulder, the red lace down the center of his tank showing off how powerful Piccolo still was, no matter the size of his belly. Piccolo’s eyes met Trunks’s and he said, “Thanks for snapping him out of it, kid, but don’t think you’ll get away with that again.”

Trunks nodded at his bigger father. Vegeta snaked an arm around Piccolo’s waist, yanked his shirt up to expose Piccolo’s belly, and kissed the top side. Piccolo laughed and said, “Not here, baby.”

Goten drifted back to Trunks and laced their fingers together. His smile was huge as he started dragging Trunks from baby object to baby object. Trunks watched Goten’s face closely and felt out his mind, and whatever Goten liked best, Trunks was enthusiastic about. Trunks saw Vegeta flailing to try to do the same, and mostly guttering out like a match in the rain every time he was asked to opine. Luckily Piccolo’s volatile mood seemed to have calmed and when Vegeta found himself floundering for a way to “help” choose another item, Piccolo bent and pressed his forehead to Vegeta’s. His antennae slinked up the skin of Vegeta’s widow’s peak. Trunks had never seen that before.

Vegeta nodded and clung to Piccolo. Piccolo’s smile was soft. A sharp jab of an elbow hit Trunks in his ribs. “Stop gawking at your dads, they’re having a moment.” 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I didn't know...you know...that they were _for_ anything."

"What? What were for anything?"

"His antennae, he's like...soothing...Papa or something, you know?"

"Oh, huh, yeah, look at that..."

Goten stared now too and they watched as Vegeta became more and more of a liquid, finally tilting his chin to kiss Piccolo as he rose up on his toes. Trunks saw tears slip down Vegeta's cheeks. Trunks wondered if they could communicate more easily telepathically when Piccolo touched his antennae to Vegeta's forehead. It was intriguing.

He pulled Goten away as their kiss got more heated. Bulma moseyed over to her partners and gave each a kiss on the cheek as they pulled apart. Vegeta hastily wiped away his tears and Piccolo said, "You gonna be okay now, baby? Your face okay?"

"That whelp couldn't hurt me if he tried," Vegeta said, but Trunks saw that his cheek was at least red, and that was satisfying. Who was Trunks kidding? Slapping Vegeta was fucking satisfying all around. It was nice that it had been for a good cause, but Trunks was just happy he'd finally gotten to do what he'd wanted to do for most of his life.

Now Goten and Piccolo seemed to be able to shop together at the same time without Vegeta freaking out. Piccolo asked Vegeta perfunctorily for opinions, but Vegeta now just said, "Whatever you wish, my heart," in some form or another, having obviously made Piccolo understand that he didn't care in any way, shape, or form about any of the nursery things, so Piccolo was at liberty to buy whatever his heart desired.

Goten, for his part, still made a show of asking Trunks, but Trunks continued to let the tenor of Goten's mind tell him what Goten actually wanted and he always agreed. The few times that Goten had actual indecision, Trunks weighed in as thoughtfully as he could on subjects that he'd never before considered, like the type of dresser they should get and whether it was better to have a shelf attached to the changing table or if they only needed them underneath.

Trunks turned to Bulma at one point and said, "Mom, how long was I even in diapers?"

Goten whirled around and started making the neck cutting motion that had become heavily used around the compound with all the moodiness and mate-crazies. Trunks didn't know why this would be a touchy subject, but he immediately recanted, "Never mind. I don't want, um, you know, expectations for the baby. Yeah. Okay. Never mind."

Trunks was a tiny bit annoyed, because he wanted to know, but then again, he wanted his mate to be happy more than he wanted to know anything. After a moment he realized that Goten was likely trying to save Piccolo suffering since Trunks’s first year was a fraught subject at the moment.

The trip seemed to go very fast. Piccolo and Goten were ebullient by the end, although Trunks worried that Piccolo looked like he was in pain. The two pregnant men talked excitedly about clothes and asked if it was okay if they took a quick spin through the clothing section. Vegeta finally seemed to be getting the hang of not being a dumbass, and he spoke before Trunks or Bulma, "Of course. Take your time, get whatever you want. There's no rush.”

Trunks tried not to gape at his father. Luckily Goten and Piccolo didn't bother to think about the fact that Vegeta was finally not being insane, and they happily started poking through all the little baby outfits of various sizes and seasons and styles. Trunks found all of it overwhelming. A deep gratitude for his mate's enthusiasm filled him with warmth. He sighed happily.

"He's a good mate for you, sweetie. You two really do compliment each other well. I'm surprised how long it took you, but I'm also pretty glad he's not thirteen and pregnant or worse, even. So maybe it all worked out for the best that you were so confused and closeted and didn't realize your dad was gay as a rainbow," Bulma said and smiled at Vegeta and Piccolo fondly. Vegeta still stuck to Piccolo's side like a needy little barnacle, but at least he was trying to augment Piccolo's experience, not drown him.

"Yeah...well...you guys are a bunch of lying assholes, so, I don't feel that bad that I didn't notice. And you most of all, Mom."

"Be a better mate to Goten than I was to either of your fathers, sweetie. I regret a lot of things, but I also don't, because I love my life. And you know how I am. I get what I want. I always get what I want. Vegeta thinks he's the ruthless, cutthroat one, but it's always been me. He'll never be more ruthless than me, sweetie. Don't you forget that about your mother. Don't underestimate me."

"I never do, Mom. Go on, shouldn't you at least pick out some little clothes or something?"

"No, I've made too many choices for them already. I don't need to be a part of this beyond being the wallet. I'm happy to be the wallet."

Trunks gave his mom a hug and said, "Even though you did some pretty fucked stuff, I'm kinda glad you did. I love you. I love both of them, even if Papa is a fucking wreck, and now that I'm used to it, it doesn't feel weird. It just feels...like home. Although, fuck, Goku being pregnant is going to mess with _everything_."

"That is truth, right there, Trunks. Unfuckingbelievable that he got fucked and mated within a week! Who knew Goku would be such an easy lay?" Bulma's laughter was loud enough to draw the attention of the other three men. They all turned and she flapped a hand at them and called, "Just laughing about Goku being a complete slut!"

Piccolo and Vegeta _giggled._ Goten was not amused and looked a little pale. Trunks stifled his desire to give him a big, fat, "See! Fucking gross!" It was clear from the way Piccolo and Vegeta were losing control of themselves that it was a huge source of merriment for all three of Trunks's parents.

Bulma's phone started ringing and everyone went silent and froze. She said, "Broly? What's up? No, not seriously? Fuck. Okay. I'll be out in a minute. They are staying inside and you and the team will make sure _no one_ comes in this building. Understand? They aren't done and I'm not rushing them because of some fucking newshound." Bulma poked her phone angrily and stalked back toward the elevator to head to the roof. She snapped, "You better keep having fun or I'll murder someone and then you'll have to deal with that and finding jobs!"

Once she got in the elevator, Piccolo giggled more and said, "I can't find a fucking job, where would I even fit? I think my tribute would keep us afloat but if not, Trunks can still actually have a job, right?"

Goten said cheerfully, "Hey, Piccolo! I just got the best idea..."

"Save it for when these two aren't around or they'll start having irrational panic attacks about it, even if it's like, 'let's have waffles for dinner,’" Piccolo said. The big man and Goten cackled, but kept their leisurely shopping up, seemingly unfazed by Bulma's call and her disappearance. Except that Piccolo's hand drifted toward his belly where he had fallen. Except for the way his color dulled. Except for the way Trunks thought he swayed a little on his feet.

Vegeta, meanwhile, was spiraling. Trunks saw it as another opportunity to slap his father. Vegeta must have too because he said, "Do that again and I will turn you into a paste on the floor of this store, boy!"

"Don't talk shit to my mate, Vegeta, or I'll rumble with you, and I might be fat, but I'd be _angry_ ," Goten snapped.

Vegeta raised a nostril and an eyebrow in Goten's direction, but then turned back to Trunks. "We should get them out of here. I don't think it's safe to IT them while they're pregnant, but I looked at the schematics for the building before we came and I think that I can get us down into a basement tunnel that has an exit one building over and then we can--"

Piccolo cut in, "Nope. We're not doing any of that. We're staying here unless Bulma or Broly calls us to tell us to flee, which would honestly only happen if Moro's back out there or some shit. Calm down, baby, and let us have our fun. We’ve barely been here an hour. This is the first time in _months_ that I've gotten to go anywhere. Goten too. Trunks is holding his crazies at bay. You can too, right?" There was a frightening edge to Piccolo's voice. 

Vegeta's body was almost twitchy, like his anxiety and crazies and fear were actually, physically crawling under his skin. He tried to hold himself still, but it was obvious that he couldn't do it. He turned to Trunks for help. Trunks whispered, "Keep it together, Papa."

Trunks's phone rang. His mother. He picked it up. "What's up, Mom?"

"Hey, yeah, the news people are here because some fucking dickbag that works here got wind of our arrangement and snooped and saw the money was from me. Any thoughts on what story I can spin?"

"Um...a...family friend...with...obscure religion...is pregnant. It's like, sinful...or something...to be seen pregnant in public?"

"What the hell, sweetie? That is a lame story.”

"That's the best I've got! Otherwise you could say I knocked up some chick but we're not going to reveal until we're married or some shit, I don't know."

"Oh dear, no, that might necessitate follow-up. Shit. Okay. I can do this. I can spin anything."

"You said you get what you want. You're ruthless. Be ruthless, Mom. And you do want Piccolo to have his fun, right? Make up for some of your blunders right now."

"Thanks for that inspiring pep talk," Bulma said, laughing, and hung up. 

Trunks turned to the three men staring at him and said, "News is here. All the news. No point going anywhere until she gets rid of them, so take your time, baby. You too, Dad. I'll just knock Papa out if he starts going actual mate-crazy, but I think he can not be a royal pain in the ass, right, Papa?"

Vegeta scowled, but nodded and said, "I don't want our boy to only be decked out in ridiculous clothes with sporting equipment! Why do colors have to be gendered on this fucking planet? My heart, do you have objections to our son wearing unicorns?" Vegeta said and held up an inarguably adorable set of fuzzy footy pajamas with rainbow unicorns.

"You're my little unicorn, baby," Piccolo said with a chortle. He kissed Vegeta soundly, groped his ass a little.

When things took a horny turn, Trunks cleared his throat ostentatiously and said, "Just gonna nope the exhibition, Papa, Dad, stop right there."

Piccolo stuck his tongue out at Trunks and squeezed Vegeta's ass trailing his fingers along the crack as he said, "You're no fun, _Daddy."_

"Ack! No! We agreed you guys could make fun of me as long as you don't ruin my fucking kink!"

Vegeta smirked at him and said, "How? By being your daddies?"

"I hate you both!" Trunks screeched, covering his ears and running to the far side of the clothing section, dragging a giggling Goten behind him.

Once they were farther away from his licentious fathers, Trunks took the opportunity to kiss and love on Goten a little. He assumed that it was easier to wait out the news people than to try to escape via Vegeta's crazy ass route.

After another two hours of shopping, which meant they amassed probably more things than either couple could ever need for any number of babies, Bulma returned. Trunks expected her to look harried. Instead, she looked exhilarated. Trunks said, "So...how'd you get rid of them?

"It was brilliant, because it's kind of half-true! I told them that Capsule Corp is working on a new line of devices and tools to help new mothers and keep babies safe, that sort of thing. So we were here assessing the best baby equipment available, but that we were also looking into spaces where we might launch early models next year. If nothing comes of it, we'll say we scrapped it out of safety concerns, but I actually had some good ideas while I was out there blowing smoke up their asses."

Bulma left Trunks and Goten and their hoard of items. She wrapped her arms around Piccolo's neck and gave him a deep kiss. Vegeta stood by, looking disgruntled, until she turned and gave him one too. "You two get everything you wanted?"

"Yes, I believe so, woman. _Minaiya_?" Vegeta said, and looked up at Piccolo. He slid his hand into Piccolo's, which engulfed his.

"I'm good, baby. I'm tired. I want to go home. Bulma, can you handle the logistics? Paying and arranging delivery? Vegeta can fly home with me and half the team," Piccolo said.

Trunks's anxieties all soared as he noticed the way Piccolo kept wincing and touching the place where Trunks had seen the big bruise from his fall.

Bulma sighed happily and said, "Why don't you _all_ go home except 18, because I want to talk with her about the...ah...shower?"

Piccolo looked at Vegeta, raising his eyebrows. Trunks saw them slip into resting-telepathic-chat face and waited. Vegeta finally said, "Very well. The boys should come with us though. I think we'll be safest in a group where we can shield their bodies. Is it dark enough that we can launch off the roof?"

"I think so. Just be quiet in case there's lingering reporters," Bulma said, "I'll call Broly and they'll all surround you coming out so no one gets a good look at Piccolo or Goten. At least Broly's big enough to actually hide a bit of Piccolo."

Trunks saw that Piccolo's hand's constant return to the injured spot had not gone unnoticed by Vegeta. Vegeta's panic was rising up visibly. Trunks could see it. He could practically smell it. And he could sympathize. His fathers had wanted their baby for so long. To have something go wrong now would be devastating for Vegeta, but Trunks could almost hear Vegeta's mind, a buzzing hum, that what he really feared was how Piccolo would take it if he lost the baby.

Vegeta murmured, "My heart, can I?"

Piccolo nodded, but said nothing as Vegeta lifted him up in a bridal carry. Piccolo tucked his face into the crook of Vegeta's neck. Vegeta bolted up the stairs rather than wait for the elevator.

Trunks whispered, "You want me to carry you?"

Goten giggled and said, "Sure, why not. I guess if Piccolo can let _Vegeta_ carry him, I can let my reasonably sized mate carry me.”

Trunks laughed and raced up the stairs with his mate in his arms. He caught up with his fathers and they crept out into the night and launched into the air. After all the buildup to the shopping trip, Trunks hoped his mate would be relaxed and happy. And Goten was. But under it, around it, overlaid on top of that pocket of joy, was nebulous fear. Trunks’s mind echoed with Goten’s worry, spiking up like a sonar ping every time Goten glanced over and saw Piccolo touching his belly.

Vegeta snarled for them to hurry and the whole posse flew faster. Trunks could see that Piccolo was unconscious by the time they got home, but Vegeta ignored Trunks. He said, strangely calm given that Piccolo looked awful, “Broly, please go get Bulma now, as fast as you can.”

Trunks and Goten watched as the group of guards milled for a moment, but then began to disperse. Bulla rocketed toward Piccolo and Vegeta barked, “No, princess, Piccy is too sick. Trunks, take Bulla please, and put her to bed.” 

Trunks took Bulla, despite her super-Saiyan toddler defiance, and said to Goten, “You okay, baby? I’ll be in as soon as I get her down.”

Goten laced his fingers with Trunks’s on his free hand. “No, Daddy, I'll help you put her down. I…I can't be alone right now.”

Before Trunks even had Bulla calmed down, Broly touched down with Bulma, but she sprinted to Vegeta, still holding Piccolo, and they hurried toward their room with heads together. They spoke in hushed voices. Trunks felt another horrible spike of fear as Piccolo's head lolled back like he was dead and Goten burst into tears.

“Don't cry, ‘Ten-Ten, you can come put me to bed. Come on, ‘Ten-Ten, I have a good story about a sick mommy that gets better. We'll read that one. Piccy will be okay, right, Trunksy?”

Trunks longed for 18’s white lying skills. He said in a flat voice, “Mom will do her best, Bulla. And Mom always gets what she wants.” He twined his tail with Goten's to comfort him. His words felt hollow. Beside him, Goten covered his mouth with his hand, staring after Trunks's three parents with scared eyes.


	27. Unknowns

The next few days around the compound were almost suffocating because of the worry surrounding Piccolo. Trunks hadn't seen him even once since the harried trip home. Trunks last memory of his big father was the limp way his head fell as Vegeta carried him. More worryingly, Goten hadn’t seen him either, and by the fifth day with no Piccolo, Goten was absolutely despondent.

"Daddy! What if he's not okay!? Oh fuck, I just can't bear the thought of him losing the baby!"

"Hey, shush, he'll be fine. He's tough. The baby's tough. I'm sure he's just tired and sore. I'm sure he'll be up and about in no time. Have...have you seen Vegeta? I was going to try to talk to him, but I haven't seen him either. My mom won't say anything, but she looks terrible."

Goten ran his hands up and down over his belly, his eyes wide and far away. Trunks could feel that he was obviously considering the horror of losing their baby at this point, after over a month of feeling their baby kicking and punching and rolling. It would be awful. Trunks couldn't even fathom such loss. He said, "Baby, you think...you think it's weird if I go check on him? It's all so new, you know, even having him in my life, so I don't know what to do. I don't know what appropriate boundaries are.”

"I don't think it's weird, Daddy. I might do it if you don't. I just need to know if there's something I can be doing to help or what the situation is. I just...even if he just needs us to distract Vegeta, because I bet Vegeta is hovering like a crazy person. Oh fuck, we should definitely go save him. Let's go."

Goten heaved himself up off the couch. He laughed and said, "I don't know how we’re going to go another month and a half. I’m huge already and I swear, I pee every ten minutes.”

The compound felt eerily quiet with Broly and Goku off hunting, and likely fucking, in the wilderness, thankfully beyond Trunks's baseline chi notice. Bulma and Bulla were napping in the living room, Bulla sprawled on Bulma’s chest. Trunks could see that his mother struggled to breathe under Bulla’s Saiyan density mass. Trunks whispered, as they headed onward toward the big master suite all three of his parents shared, "Hey, we should maybe help figure something out for Bulla's birthday. She turns three in like twenty days. My parents are so stressed that I'm afraid they'll forget and I don't want to see that fall-out.”

“That’s a good idea, maybe we can mush it together with the baby shower if Piccolo’s really worn out. I’m going to talk to Videl about helping out with the shower anyway. I don't care, but I think it’s important for Piccolo. This whole thing has been so hard on him that I want him to have a good time, you know?”

“What are we going to do about a baby shower if he loses it?” Trunks said, barely audible. Trunks could feel the baby’s chi, so he knew it was still alive. For now.

“Don't say that, Daddy! Just don’t! Don’t even think it!” Goten's eyes filled with tears, but they had reached his parents’ room. They knocked together, inadvertently and laughed. Trunks heard Vegeta murmur something to Piccolo. 

A moment later, Vegeta cracked the door. He looked exhausted. “What?” he bit out.

“Hey, don't be a dick! I came to check on Dad. Is he okay?” Trunks stood on his tiptoes to be able to see over Vegeta’s exuberant hair.

Piccolo was propped on his side on the bed in a mountain of pillows, but his stomach was bare, the bruise massive, and his color was muddy and dull. He met Trunks’s eyes and waved him in, calling, “Stop being insane, Vegeta. Fucking hell. When you two leave, can you take him with you?”

Goten shoved Vegeta out of the way with a cavalier attitude that made Trunks nervous. Vegeta gawked at Trunks's mate, but it was too late for him to stop Goten. Goten was on the edge of the bed, wrapping around Piccolo in an awkward sideways hug.

Piccolo chuckled and said, "Hey, ‘Ten, careful, easy. Fuck.” Piccolo winced and tried to sit up. 

Vegeta hissed, “No! Stay right where you are!”

Piccolo raised his hands in surrender and stayed where he was. "Sorry guys, the fucking hell-beast won't let me sit up.”

“You don't need to sit up for us, Dad. How…how are you?” Trunks said and sat on the other side of his big belly from Goten. Trunks’s urge to touch it, to see if his baby brother was still kicking, was overwhelming.

Piccolo sighed and said, “I'm okay. Fucking exhausted. Vegeta, you want to tell them the shitty news, or should I?”

Vegeta grumbled, "The fall has caused a mild rupture, Bulma thinks, of course we don't know a fucking thing for sure. He's leaking whatever the Namekian equivalent of amniotic fluid is, and he's bleeding internally. Nothing that likely won’t heal up in a few more days, but that's why he looks…ill.”

“You can say, ‘Like shit,’ baby. I know how I look, even though you tried to make me use a fucking bedpan to keep me away from the mirror,” Piccolo said with a nostril flared in disgust.

“I tried to get you to use a bedpan because it hurts you to get up. You don't look like shit, my heart,” Vegeta said, frowning so deeply, a person would have thought that Piccolo said _Vegeta_ looked like shit.

Trunks tried to prevent this from becoming a cycle of bickering. “So…what…what about the fluid?”

“It's fine if I stay horizontal, which is honestly probably going to kill me because your sperm donor is driving me abso-fucking-lutely insane. Even Bulma has tried to figure out if she can garrote him in his sleep and she has far more patience with his bullshit than I do.”

“Papa! Why are you making him more miserable?” Trunks growled, rising to his feet and staring Vegeta down.

Vegeta was not the sort of man who normally lost stare-downs, but he fell apart under Trunks’s eyes. Trunks thought back to the cruise ship, when everything had first come to light and how cruel Trunks had been. Piccolo spoke before Vegeta’s anguished face collapsed even farther. “I’m sorry, baby, come here. Come hold my head, okay?”

Vegeta nodded and sprang lithely over Goten and Piccolo and nestled where he could hold Piccolo’s head in his lap on a flat pillow. He trailed his fingers over Piccolo’s scalp and shoulder. He bent and kissed Piccolo’s temple. Piccolo murmured again, turning to kiss him on the mouth, “I'm sorry, my love.”

“It’s alright,” Vegeta said and Piccolo's antenna, just one, slunk up Vegeta's forehead, causing both men to close their eyes.

Goten waited for the moment to pass and then said, “Piccolo, can we get you anything to do? Or take Vegeta out for a little exercise? Trunks could go train with him for a little bit and we could hang out? I miss hanging out.”

“Me too, ‘Ten. Yeah, maybe…maybe tomorrow or the next day. I’m wiped from the hemorrhaging, so I sleep most of the day. Poor Bulma probably could use some help with Bulla.”

Trunks explained their plan for the birthday party-shower combo and Piccolo got a little teary as he said, “Fuck. I can't believe I’m going to be laid up for my daughter's third birthday. Stupid fucking airhorn.”

“Aren't you mad at Mom?” Trunks said.

“Nah, my own fucking fault for going after _Broly_. Fuck, that's how you know there isn’t an ounce of rational anything involved in mate-crazies when you go for _Broly_.” Piccolo chuckled, but held his belly when he did.

“Does Mom think it’s going be okay?” Trunks said softly.

Piccolo and Vegeta looked at each other. They were obviously speaking telepathically and Trunks hated that they were still _parenting_ him, trying to decide how much truth to reveal yet again. “Fucking tell me the truth, for once!” Trunks snapped.

Vegeta’s face returned to the terrifying mien that Trunks was more comfortable with than the sad, scared version of Vegeta. “You will stop speaking with us as if we are your inferiors. I’m not above kicking your ass when your mate is too pregnant to do a damn thing about it.”

Goten’s eyebrows crumpled up and said, “Hey! Don’t say shit like that, Vegeta! I don't want to get mate-crazy around Piccolo!”

Vegeta glared at Goten and then returned his dark gaze to Trunks. "We weren’t going to keep any secrets, Trunks, we just…don’t know. It's hard…not to know. There’s no one we can consult. Bulma has been trying to casually and ‘hypothetically’ ask some questions of an OB friend who helped through her pregnancy with you and Bulla, but…we’re on our own. Saiyan-human pregnancies were alien enough, but Piccolo and I are more…divergent…than Saiyans and humans, so there's even more blanks. Piccolo isn’t even supposed to have fluid in his womb, according to Dende. Dende tried to heal this and couldn’t, though he slowed the hemorrhage some. He hasn’t any more clue than we do because this bears no resemblance to a Namek pregnancy. So…we’re…surviving.”

“I’m sorry, Papa, Dad. Fuck. What...what can we do?” Trunks said, all the fight dissolving in his fathers’ worried eyes.

Piccolo craned back to look at Vegeta, then he turned back to Trunks. “In a few days, if the bleeding stops, you can take him out training. You and Broly. Wear him the fuck out. His nervous energy is exhausting. But we’re...ugh. Fuck. We…we have no…no _outlet_ if one of us gets crazy because, well…we don't think it's safe right now. It’s…it’s adding to our stress, if you could put yourselves in our celibate shoes. Okay? So…just…calm. Calm exercise. And help with Bulla. And keep Broly and Goku from being fucking insane. The last thing we need is either of those two nukes going off.”

“What are you going to do?” Trunks asked, his eyebrows furrowing so hard he expected them to swap places.

“I’m going to lay here and cling to what little sanity I have left. Bulma's doing an ultrasound every day. And he is still feisty as hell, so that’s…that’s gotta be good, right?” Piccolo said, and Trunks saw him crack for the first time since the cruise.

Trunks thought back to Piccolo talking about being mated to Vegeta, and that Piccolo was fine, but Vegeta had never been fine, that Vegeta was always the one freaking out. Trunks, from what he hoped was a more objective place now, could see how scared Piccolo was to ever let himself hope. He had, after that first ultrasound, and even more after the baby kicked that first time, but now all that hope meant potentially crushing disappointment. Crushing grief. Crushing loss.

Piccolo covered his face with his big hand and breathed slowly and carefully. Goten wrapped around his big shoulders, avoiding touching his belly. Trunks got up and moved to the other side of Goten and helped him hug Piccolo’s upper body and head. Vegeta wrapped his powerful arms over all three of them, and surprised Trunks as he buried his face in Trunks’s man-bun. Trunks could feel Vegeta smelling him, which Trunks knew should weird him out, but instead, almost made Trunks cry. That his scent, as Vegeta’s biological offspring, might comfort his father was strangely comforting in turn.

Piccolo shifted and snuffled his scalp too, and Trunks burst into helpless tears. Goten kissed Trunks’s temple and wrapped an arm around him. Trunks could tell from Piccolo and Vegeta's breathing that they were crying too. Even though he'd seen both his fathers cry recently, this felt different. This felt like they _needed_ him. He let both older men take what comfort they could from him until Vegeta eased off the pile.

“That’s enough, you two, I don't want him to tire any more. Thank you two for coming to see him,” Vegeta said, using the edge of his shirt to dry his eyes. Trunks’s heart tightened when Vegeta bent and kissed a tear off Piccolo’s cheek and tenderly wiped away the rest with his thumb.

Goten squeezed Piccolo's shoulder and said, “Get some rest, Piccolo. Text me if there's anything I can do or get for you, okay? I…I hope everything's okay.”

“Thanks, ‘Ten. Hopefully we can hang out soon.”

Trunks said, “And text if you want me to take Vegeta out for a walk or to the vet.”

Vegeta glared, but Piccolo's rumbling laugh quickly turned it into a smile. Piccolo said, still chuckling, “Thanks, kid. He’s box-trained at least, so maybe I'll just have you come scoop his poop.”

They all laughed at Vegeta and he gave Piccolo a half-smile and said, "Once you’re well, you’ll be punished, _minaiya._ ” Vegeta’s tail slinked gently over Piccolo’s big belly. Piccolo’s look over his shoulder was pure adoration. Trunks thought maybe it wasn't so bad having two fathers when they made each other so happy.

* * *

Trunks and Goten waited anxiously to hear whether anything had changed with Piccolo. After a week of relative silence, Trunks tried asking Bulma, but her face looked so haggard and broken that Trunks felt awful for even bringing it up. “I don’t know, Trunks. Fuck. How I wish I knew.”

Trunks said, warily, “Do you think he’s going to lose it? Is that why you look…” Trunks trailed off. His mother was vain, he didn't want to hurt her feelings, but hopefully she wouldn’t be too upset. “Why you look rough?” Trunks continued, bracing himself for a tirade.

Bulma searched his eyes and said, “Trunks, fuck—“

“You sound like Piccy, Mommy!” Bulla said cheerfully from where she played on her play-set.

Bulma nodded with a weak smile. She spoke softer, seeming to remember that Bulla's hearing was Piccolo-levels of sensitive, like she had willed herself to be part Namekian. “It’s my fault. I look like shit because on top of all the other things I have to feel shitty about, this is _my_ fault and if he loses it, I…I just…” Bulma held her mouth for a long moment, breathing audibly through her nose. “I can't even help him. I hurt my mate, my baby, my other mate, and I can't even fucking help. So that's why I look _rough_ , Trunks.”

“He doesn’t blame you, Mom," Trunks said, hoping to soothe his mother.

She snorted out a little laugh. “Yeah, I know, because he is ridiculously squishy and sweet like that. Of course he doesn’t blame me. It’d be easier if he did. It feels worse that he's not mad at me when he should want to murder me. I want him to want to murder me. I know how to deal with anger.”

Trunks thought adults were weird. He thought it was nice that Piccolo didn't hold it against Bulma. Vegeta didn't even seem to hold Bulma accountable, so Trunks thought she should be grateful. Goten came waddling out, looking unhappy, feeling irritated, and Trunks knew his conversation with Bulma was over.

“Mom, you should just accept his forgiveness and put your energy into helping him instead of moping,” Trunks said with a quick hug, but he was off to meet his mate before she had time to answer him.

“Hey, baby, what’s wrong?”

Goten scowled, “Yuck, I caught my dad and Broly making out when I went to drop some stuff by Piccolo’s room.”

“Sorry, baby. How’s…how’s Dad?”

“I don't know, Daddy, he doesn’t look good, but his spirits seem okay, and he said the baby is still moving normally and has a steady, strong heartbeat. I think…I think the big issue is whether he can carry it to term. I think the baby is _fine_ , I think it's Piccolo who’s not…and…I didn’t really _mean_ to eavesdrop, but…” Goten trailed off and Trunks wanted to shake him a little.

“What? What did you hear?” Trunks whispered.

“Jeez, Daddy, settle down! Nothing momentous. I just...the first time I tried to go by, Piccolo was crying when I got there, and I heard them talking about how this meant they would probably only be able to have the one, and they thought after everything that it would have been nice to have another. Maybe two more. Piccolo’s pretty heartbroken.”

“Fuck. Yeah. Understandably. No wonder my mom feels so terrible. She's robbed them coming and going.”

“Don’t poke that bear, Trunks. They seem to have moved on, let her move on, you move on. I'm just sad for them. And I went to wait in the hallway, and that's how I caught my dad…” Goten shook his head and stuck his tongue out.

Trunks chuckled as the mental reverb of disgust came through and he whispered, “He was sucking Broly’s cock right in the _hall_?”

Goten looked even more disgusted that Trunks had named the act in question. “Ew! Don’t say that! It was terrible! Why in the hallway!?”

“I don't know, baby, in old people being mates seems to cause a drive toward exhibitionism,” Trunks said, groping Goten’s ass as they started off to walk around the grounds a little. Trunks had been trying to fill the Piccolo-sized void in Goten's life by finding ways to distract his mate from his prego-pal’s absence and injury.

Goten squeezed Trunks’s ass in response and said, "Why aren't you all exhibitionist with me, Daddy?”

Trunks grinned and said, “I want to be all exhibitionist with you, but I don’t want to scar our children, so we should probably practice not being complete public horn-dogs.”

“Children, huh? You think you’ll want more than one, Daddy?”

Trunks was surprised, he just assumed they would have more than one, but maybe not. Trunks wasn’t sure he could be pregnant, the thought horrified him. “Maybe? Do…do you?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely. I want a whole pile of adorable little demi-Saiyans. We’re gonna have the cutest kids ever. I can barely wait to meet him.”

Trunks smiled and kissed Goten. They strolled around the garden chatting. He loved getting to spend this time with his mate, but Goten's discomfort became almost unbearable in its second-hand form in Trunks’s mind. The fear and stress about Piccolo’s condition was also so loud that Trunks wasn’t sure how Goten could even have a conversation, since Trunks could barely focus.

“Daddy, that’s _your_ worry. Don’t put that on me. Of course I’m worried about him, but you’re Vegeta-style freaking out.”

“I…I am?” Trunks said, worried that his mate knew his mind better than Trunks did.

“Yeah, you poor thing. Come on, let’s go see if we can’t take your mind off everything but your mate, huh?” Goten gave Trunks a sexy grin.

“Mmm…we could just be exhibitionists right here in the garden—“

“Our only possible voyeurs are your sister or our parents—“

“Nope. Sorry. I don’t know why I thought that would be hot.”

They laughed and walked back to their rooms. Trunks didn’t want to make Goten run with how large his stomach was, even though he claimed it was fine. The mental image of the blackish bruise on Piccolo’s belly was crystal clear in Trunks’s mind.  



End file.
